HUNDREDS of people in Frome gathered together on November 13th to pay their respects at the town’s annual Remembrance Sunday parade and service.
Local groups, businesses, schools and past and present service men and women laid wreaths at Frome’s War Memorial to honour all those who have died in conflict.
Jane Norris, chair of the Frome Branch of the Royal British Legion, thanks the people of Frome for their support.
Jane said, “Thank you to the people of Frome who came along. I would say there were in excess of 900 people at the service which is tremendous and a real testament to our community.
“The biggest part of the service was having three amazing people lay wreaths on behalf of the veterans. 97 year-old Ron Stone served in hand to hand combat in Burma and was the first to break the silence by saying the Kohima Epitaph which was so incredibly moving. 96 year-old Ivor Pickford who took part in the Normandy D-Day Landings also laid a wreath. He was awarded the Legion d’Honneur by the French Government – the highest French order for military and civil merits. Lastly, 96 year-old Midge Skene, a Bomber Command veteran who served in he Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) laid a wreath.
“I’m so grateful to them for taking part in the town’s service, we were very fortunate.
“For the first time, the headteacher of St. John’s First School laid a wreath with children from the school and members of the public had the opportunity to lay their own personal wreaths and poppies. This was equally as important and valued and the very heart of the service.”
This year, The Royal British legion asks the nation to Rethink Remembrance by recognising the sacrifices made not just by the Armed Forces of the past, but by today’s generation too. The Legion wants to raise awareness of a new generation of veterans and Service personnel that need support.
