2021 REMEMBRANCE
It was a great pleasure to see so many people at our recent Langford Remembrance Sunday ceremony. Thank you to everyone for joining us on this important day, and thank you to the pupils of St Christopher’s for their special way of marking the occasion. Here is the address that was made:
It is a 103 years now since the end of the Great War in 1918, and 76 years since the end of the Second World War.
There are few left who remember the war years, and even fewer still who served. Langford has one of course – Bob Stacey, now aged 98 – who as a young man served in the Guards Armoured Division in the European campaign after D Day until the end of the War in 1945.
Today is the day we remember all those who have served, and those who still serve, who help to preserve the freedoms we value so much. In particular we remember those who gave their lives that we should remain free. The names of the 12 men of Langford, Grafton and Radcot who gave their lives in the two World Wars are inscribed on our War Memorial
I am going to ask Squadron Leader Bruce Thompson to lay a wreath on our behalf to commemorate those men.
At the end of today’s proceedings do please come forward if you want to place your own personal memorials to family and loved ones. The church is open if you want to visit for some moments of reflection by the Remembrance display there
LAYING OF THE WREATH
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We shall remember them
Let us join now in the national two minutes silence, after which I am going to read the names of the 12 men inscribed on our Memorial
MEN OF LANGFORD, GRAFTON AND RADCOT WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR
Harry JERRAM
Midshipman, Royal Navy
Died as a teenager on 15 October, 1914
Lost at sea when HMS Hawke was torpedoed in North Sea
Name inscribed on the Chatham MemorIal
Alexander RUSSELL
Captain, Sherwood Foresters
Killed on 10 October, 1915, aged 27
In Flanders, during the Battle of Loos
Buried at X Farm Cemetery La Chapelle d’Armentieres
Francis WATTS
Petty Officer, Royal Navy
Died on 31 May 1916, aged 34
Lost at sea when HMS Black Prince was sunk during the Battle of Jutland
Commemorated at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial
Thomas MITCHELL
Private, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Killed on July 19, 1916 on the Western Front attacking Pozieres, during the Battle of the Somme
No known grave and so his name inscribed along with 76 thousand others on the Thiepval Memorial
Robert SMITH
Private, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry
Killed on 23 July, 1916, aged 19
In the course of the Ox & Bucks second attack on Pozieres, during the Battle of the Somme
Buried at Pozieres Cemetery
Charles MOREING
Lance Corporal, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry
Killed on Sept 3, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme
No known grave and so his name is inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial
George SIMPSON
Private. Wiltshire Regiment
Died on the Somme Front on Dec 23, 1916, aged 36
Buried at Gezaincourt Cemetery
Alfred BENFIELD
Lance Corporal, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry
Killed on August 16, 1917, aged 21
Near Ypres, during the Battle of Passchendaele
No known grave and so his name is inscribed at Tyne Cot Cemetery
Thomas ADAMS
Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery
Died 21 March, 1918 during the final German offensive on the Western Front
Buried at Tincourt New British Cemetery
THE MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR
James JONES
Leading Aircraftsman, Royal Air Force
Died on June 26, 1942 during the Siege of Malta
Buried on the island
Frederick SMITH
Sergeant, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry
Killed on July 16, 1944, aged 32
After D Day during the Battle for Normandy
Buried at Brouay Cemetery in Northern France
Herbert LUMSDEN
Lieutenant General
The highest ranked Allied combatant killed in the War
Died on Jan 6, 1945, serving as Churchill’s personal representative with US forces in the Pacific
Killed in a kamikaze attack while on the bridge of the battleship USS New Mexico during the invasion of the Philippines
When you go home, tell them of us and say,
For your tomorrows we gave out today