Remembrance Day is approaching, with many churches and community groups taking part in marking the occasion.
Watford will be hosting a parade from St Mary’s Church to the Peace Memorial, led by the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire.
The Royal British Legion and other organisations will be there to lay wreaths for the town’s armed forces.
There will also be a two-minute silence and a reading by the Watford mayor Peter Taylor and chairman of the council, councillor Simon Feldman.
Mr Taylor said: “The bravery, heroism and sacrifices made by residents of Watford in the conflicts of the last century up to the present day are moving and awe-inspiring. They remind us of the wonderful, selfless people that have walked among us, never looking for praise or accolades, just committed to doing their duty and protecting others.”
Watford residents have been invited to join the parade at 2.15pm on Sunday, November 12, and the service which will follow at 3pm.
Mr Feldman added: “For Remembrance we unite across faiths, cultures and backgrounds to remember the service and sacrifice of our local Armed Forces community and beyond.
"There is huge pride in our town for those who are serving in our armed forces and enormous respect for our veterans. It is my honour to be a part of this remembrance event and I welcome residents to join us for the ceremony.”
There is also an art installation currently on display in Watford town centre to commemorate the day.
The silhouette figures of World War I soldiers have been put up as part of an art installation called ‘There But Not There’ run by the military charity Remembered.
The 'Tommys' depict a veteran who is standing thoughtfully, with his head bowed and rifle in hand, as he reflects upon the sheer horror of World War I as peace is declared in 1918.
There is also a statue called 'Unknown Women at War' in Gammons Lane, which was created to commemorate all the bravery and sacrifices of women in war.
They have been installed by Watford Borough Council and Murrill Construction Ltd.
There have been 28 6ft statues installed across the borough to remind the public of the conflict’s grave impact on communities across the country.
You can find out where they have been installed on the council website here.
Mr Taylor added: “We have been supporting this initiative since 2018. It is very important to place these silhouettes across Watford as a reminder of the sacrifices people made during the two world wars.
"The impact that the wars had on our town was enormous, with huge numbers of Watfordians joining the call to arms and the town pulling together to support the war effort.
“We will also be commemorating those who fought in later conflicts such as Captain Tom Sawyer, Corporal Christopher Harrison and Private Tom Lake. I hope residents are able to join the Remembrance Service on the 12 November and pay their respects.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel