Remembering the fallen

A MOMENT to remember . . . Lance-Sergeant Barry Orrell took up his stance at Pots and Pans war memorial to remember five of his fallen colleagues

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Oldham stands together to salute war dead

THOUSANDS of Oldhamers braved biting winds yesterday in an act of remembrance for the soldiers and servicemen who sacrificed their lives.

The borough fell silent for two minutes as the clock struck 11am.

Oldham town centre and the memorial outside Oldham parish church was the venue for the main civic ceremony, although many of the councillors who represent the borough chose to support their own local services.

This year is the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War, and the Mayor, Councillor Shoab Akhtar, broke with tradition and continued into the church grounds after placing their wreath to lay a second to commemorate the anniversary.

Those who laid wreaths included the Chief Supt of Oldham Police, Caroline Ball, MP Michael Meacher, two Chelsea Pensioners, and a host of others who stood in line to lay a wreath on an increasing sea of red around the war memorial.

Stan Whiteman sounded the Last Post and Reveille to mark and beginning and end of a two-minute silence, on behalf of the British Legion.

Church leaders from across the borough reported big turnouts for services, ranging from hundreds to thousands of people, despite the sudden cold snap.

The Rev David Holford from St Anne’s Church, ROYTON, led a procession to the memorial chapel in the church after the Sunday service, then let the congregation into the garden of remembrance where a wreath was laid by an ex-soldier.

SS Aidan and Oswald and St Paul’s Parish Church joined together for a service at the war memorial in Royton Park, conducted jointly by The Rev David Booth and Father Stephen Doyle, aided by Father Paul Hutchins, the assistant priest at St Paul’s.

The Rev Booth said: “There was a particularly good turnout. It was very heartening to see how many people were there on what was a very cold day. The Remembrance Day service seems to go from strength to strength each year.”

The Rev Andrew Halstead, minister at Honeywell Lane Methodist Church, held a minute’s silence and prayers, before joining Remembrance Day services in Hollinwood.

In CHADDERTON, the Rev Alan Cooke, vicar of St Mark’s Church, conducted a service at the war memorial at Chadderton Town Hall after a veterans parade from Chadderton Reform Club.

People who attended the service marched back to the Reform Club to mark the day with a social event. The Rev Cooke said: “The turnout was very good, as always, despite the cold weather.”

In SHAW, the Rev David Jones, minister at St Paul’s Methodist Church, Rochdale Road, introduced the service at the High Street war memorial, and said it was very well attended, despite being cold and windy.

Captains Anthony and Heather Goodwin, of Shaw Salvation Army, and Phelyp Bennett, gave prayers and readings, and Shaw Youth Band and Shaw Salvation Army Band provided the music.

Shaw First Scout Group were involved in the service, and an oration was given by Mr W Shaw.

Father John Scanlon led a special Remembrance Day Service at St Joseph’s Church, Shawside.

In AUSTERLANDS, a gathering of 25 residents led by David Needham, a past chairman of Saddleworth Parish Council, paid tribute at Saddleworth’s oldest war memorial.

A wreath was laid by ex-serviceman Kevin Hilton (7th Royal Tank Regiment), with Barry Scott, (formerly with East Lancs regiment), acting as the honour guard.

Brighouse and Rastrick Band cornet player Matthew Hilton sounded the Last Post, and a 1950 tribute poem by Ammon Wrigley called “The Lads of Austerlands and Scouthead” was handed out to all present.

In SADDLEWORTH, between 400 and 500 people made the steep trek up to the Pots and Pans memorial above Greenfield, where a service was led by The Rev Duncan Rhodes from St Chad’s parish.

Several wreaths were laid by local councillors, ex-servicemen and women, and representatives of the police and fire service in cold and very windy conditions.

Saddleworth School Brass Band played, and one of its members, James Taylor, played the Last Post and Reveille.

Uppermill man Barry Orrell, staff sergeant with the Grenadier Guards, played The Retreat. He has served in Afghanistan and Iraq, and lost five of his colleagues in action.

The Rev Vaughan Leonard led a joint service for all the LEES churches at the war memorial in Lees Cemetery.

Around 200 people joined in the service, and Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas was among the people who laid a wreath.

The Rev Leonard said there was a good turnout by the uniformed organisations, and Lees Brass Band provided the music.

Rosie Kingham, reader at WATERHEAD Church led the service there, and church member Nicola Unsworth sounded the Last Post on the trumpet.

The church brownies and cubs took part in the ceremony and minute’s silence, following which 85 people walked to Waterhead war memorial to lay a poppy wreath.

The Rev Ray Morris led the act of remembrance at St Mark’s Church, HEYSIDE, after the Sunday morning Eucharist. The Church Lads and Church Girls’ Brigade took part, and two wreaths were laid, one on behalf of the congregation and a second on behalf of the brigade.

Brigade member Peter Corbishley sounded the Last Post and Reveille on the cornet, and the service ended with an act of commitment by the congregation to work towards peace.
The Rev Morris said it was a good turnout, adding that the numbers of people who attend the Remembrance Day service had increased each year over recent years.

THORNHAM St James Church was packed for its Remembrance Day service which was led by Father Phil Barratt. A wreath was laid at the church war memorial, and uniformed organisations with members as young as five lowered flags during a two minute silence.

Father Neil Chappell led the service at GREENACRES Congregational Church, at which he used a multimedia presentation to tell the 100-strong congregation about the First World War, which included showing the photographs of the 22 men from Greenacres who lost their lives.

The service also remembered the seven men from the church who died during the Second World War.

The scouts and brownies took part, and paraded flags into church which they lowered during the National Anthem.

Up to 2,000 people from churches across FAILSWORTH gathered at the war memorial for a service led by The Rev Adrian Matthews from St John the Evangelist Church.

Representatives of uniformed organisations including the cubs, scouts, cadets, air cadets, the Territorial Army, and St John Ambulance laid wreaths, as did members of the community and local dignitaries.

The Rev Matthews said: “The roads around the war memorial were absolutely packed. The turnout was phenomenal.”

A parade left Failsworth Community Centre at 10.15am to walk around the local area to reach the war memorial for a two minute silence at 11am. The 7th Failsworth Scouts drum band played en route, and the parade returned to the community centre after the service for refreshments.

The Rev David Hawthorn from St Margaret’s Church conducted the service for the Association of HOLLINWOOD Churches.

Around 160 members of Beulah Baptist and United Reformed Church, Limeside and Millgate Methodist Churches, Holy Family and Corpus Christi attended the service at St Margaret’s, whose grounds house the Hollinwood War Memorial. Several wreaths were laid, and Methodist minister The Rev Andrew Halstead led the prayers and the Rev David Joynes read the lesson.

The congregation from Holy Trinity Church, BARDSLEY were led by Uppermill Brass Band in a parade to Bardsley war memorial where they joined with Keb Lane Methodist members for an act of remembrance.

Around 150 people attended. Bardsley’s St Cuthbert’s Church held an outdoor remembrance service.


Tales of the trenches by Private Patch

AN Oldham soldier stood shoulder to shoulder with the last surviving veteran of the trenches in a poignant ceremony to remember the war dead.

Sergeant Andrew Clark (35) was honoured to meet 110-year-old Harry Patch, who 91 years ago went “over the top” with his comrades from the 7th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, which was an antecedent Battalion of the modern day “5 Rifles”.

Sgt Clark, who with his wife Nicole has two daughters, Debbie (14) and Kayleigh (13), serves with the 5th Battalion The Rifles, in the welfare office, and has been with the Army for 17 years.

He said: “It is a great privilege to have met someone who fought in the trenches and who has worn one of our antecedent cap-badges.

“In the welfare office we have the ability to communicate information so easily to all our families.

“For the families of soldiers like Harry it must have been horrendous. They would have gone off to war and there would have been no way of getting instant messages back.”

Private Harry Patch was in Flanders to unveil a personal memorial to his colleagues who had paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The frail pensioner’s presence in Langemark, Belgium, surrounded by friends old and new, was a unique symbol of remembrance that may never be repeated.

The memorial was placed on the edge of a stony track close to an innocuous stream in the quiet farmlands surrounding Langemark.

That is the scene in 2008, but on the August 17, 1917, Private Harry Patch had a completely different view, and the stirring ceremony gave him chance to relive the sights, smells and sounds of the day.

The Battle of Passchendaele, or Third Battle of Ypres, had few successes, but the battle around Langemark was one.

Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Edward Chamberlain said at the ceremony: “Harry, his comrades and the soldiers of today represent a selflessness, a culture, ethos and values for all young people to emulate.

“It is as important for us, as much as for Harry, to remember 91 years ago.”

The Rifles are now starting their fourth tour in Iraq, and Private Harry Patch told Sgt Clark and his comrades: “I am indebted to you and your men for coming such a distance to the memorial unveiling, especially considering your imminent tour of duty in Iraq.”

“I greatly appreciated your words in which you drew parallels between modern soldiers and those of us who fought in the Great War.

“Comradeship, coupled with pride in the regiment, were key components back then and there is no reason why these emotions should not be any different in the modern British Army.”

BBC Inside Out West is broadcasting a programme on Wednesday at 7.30pm, which follows the life of Private Harry Patch, and his story leading to the unveiling of his personal memorial in Flanders. It can be viewed on Sky Channel 986 or on BBC iPlayer.

Anniversaries in the minds of well-wishers

The annual Festival of Remembrance in Oldham had a special theme at the weekend.

It was 60 years since the formation of the organising Oldham Liaison of Ex-Service Associations.

And anniversaries were very much in the minds of those who attended — with the 90th anniversary this Remembrance Day of the end of the First World War.

Civic leaders and local dignitaries were among those who attended at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on Friday for a full evening of remembrance activities.

It began with a lone piper, there was music of the forties and Polish dancers and singers.

Visitors also listened to the music of the Fusilier Association Lancashire Band, the Oldham Scottish Pipe Band and the Fusilier Association Corps of Drums.

And the remembrance theme was continued with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” before the close of the festival.