The community of Formby fell silent today for Armistice Day
THE COMMUNITY of Formby fell silent today to remember those who lost their lives during the first world war. Formby Royal British legion was responsible for coordinating services at Formby War Memorial and the Polish War Graves in Our Lady’s Churchyard on Monday 11th November. These were well attended.
Armistice Day saw a short act of remembrance at Formby War Memorial and a two minutes silence at 11:00am including the laying of wooden crosses, followed at 11:30am with a short ceremony at Our Lady’s Graveyard in Formby for laying of the crosses on the polish War Graves.
In the afternoon of Remembrance Sunday 10th November in Formby, the Parade of Standards and cadets lead by Marshside Band marched from the Gild Hall, through Formby Village to Holy Trinity Church on Rosemary Lane where the main Remembrance Service was held. This involved councillors and many organisations who laid wreaths to remember those who gave their lives in service of their country. The Mayor of Sefton, Councillor June Burns read the lesson. The Formby and Southport Legion Standards were in attendance together with Standards from the Maritime Cadets, the Army Cadets. the Polish SPK, Burma Star, RAF Association anf the Air Training Corps. After the service at approx 4pm the parade formed up in Rosemary Lane and marched back through the village to the War Memorial, where the salute was taken by the Mayor of Sefton.
After the service there was a parade back to the Gild Hall where refreshments were served. As the parade passed Formby War Memorial the Mayor, Councillor June Burns and Parish Councillors took the salute.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
Did you know that the Formby war memorial was almost taken away from Formby to make way for two storey car park?
Reg Yorke of Formby Civic Society said: “Formby’s war memorial situated within its own tended garden, has a lot more history to it than most people are aware of." ”In 1975 Sefton District Council together with developers intended to move it away and remove the garden as part of a redevelopment scheme for a two tier car park to accommodate 315 cars." “Opposition to this was first voiced by councillor Eric Storey and local artist Lillian Rushton who took on a battle with the developers and organised a 5000 signature petition for the war memorial to be saved." ”The council then complied an order made by the Charity Commissioners preserving the status of the site so that is can never be used for another purpose without consent of the commission." “After a two year battle the site was recognised as a charitable trust and thus the memorial and its garden were saved for posterity on its prominent site.”
Armistice Day 2019 in Formby - Photos by Roy Bevan
Gathering on Armistice Day at OLOC Polish War Graves
Photos by Roy Bevan
Remembrance Sunday in Formby 2019 - Photos by Roy Bevan
TWO MINUTES - FORMBY
Poem by Joan Rimmer
11th November 2002
They gave their all that we might live,
Young men in the prime of life,
The living Hell of two World Wars,
Unimagined battling strife.
Never forget their sacrifice,
If only one day each year,
When we keep two minutes silence,
Grateful for all we hold dear.
So on the dot of eleven
The bustling Village fell still,
Bowed heads remembered the fallen
In the sunshine's Autumn chill.
One minute into the silence,
A girl and a man strolled by,
Ignoring the silence around them
And those with a tear in their eye.
She was a girl in her twenties,
He was about forty-five,
Selfishly uncomprehending,
No thanks that they both were alive.
For those names on our War Memorial
All paid the ultimate cost,
Not one returned to his village,
Much more than two minutes they lost.
And whether the Somme or the Desert,
We'll never repay the debt
To those who gave us our peace time,
Which is why we must never forget.
By Joan Rimmer
