On Remembrance Sunday, 12 November, the country will stop to commemorate the sacrifice of our armed forces, past and present.
You can attend a local service; with 3 key, traditional events being held on the morning.
The leader of the council, Councillor Peter Mason, and the Mayor of Ealing, Councillor Hitesh Tailor, will attend a Remembrance Sunday service at Ealing War Memorial on Ealing Green, in front of Pitzhanger Manor, with a 2-minute silence at 11am. The King’s representative, Deputy Lieutenant Richard Kornicki, will be attending the service, as will council chief executive Tony Clements.
In Greenford, the local branch of the Royal British Legion will march to Greenford War Memorial from its headquarters in Oldfield Lane South for a public service at 11am. Past mayor, Councillor Munir Ahmed will attend along with Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for safe and genuinely affordable homes.
At 10.45am in Manor Park at the Southall War Memorial, people will gather for a service which will begin at 11am. Attendees are then invited to head to St John’s Church in Church Road for a short Remembrance Sunday service. The immediate past mayor of Ealing, Councillor Mohinder Midha, is due to attend with council cabinet member for tackling inequality, Councillor Jasbir Anand.
Meanwhile, on Armistice Day itself, Saturday, 11 November, the public are invited to join the Mayor of Ealing and dignitaries to observe a 2-minute silence outside Ealing Town Hall at 11am.
Time to pause and remember
Councillor Mason said: “On Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, we take time to pause and remember all those who have lost their lives in war. Those who have fallen protecting and defending our country, and those lost or impacted by the consequences of armed conflict across the world since.
“By coming together at memorials across our borough, we rededicate ourselves to never forget the huge sacrifices made by others, and recommit to our covenant with those who have served, both active members of the armed forces and veterans.”
Armistice Day
The guns, cannon and battle cries of the First World War fell silent across Europe on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. The Armistice treaty was signed at 5am in France on November 11, 1918. At 11am, 6 hours later, the war officially ended (although some fighting did actually continue on the edges of the conflict). After 4 years of fighting, The Great War was finally ‘over’.
The first Remembrance Day was held in 1919 throughout Britain and the Commonwealth. Originally called Armistice Day, it commemorated the end of hostilities the previous year. It came to symbolise the end of the war and provide an opportunity to remember those who had died.
Remembrance Sunday is held on the nearest Sunday to Armistice Day every year and represents remembrance of all those who have lost lives or made sacrifices because of war, as well as those who put their lives at risk now.
You can read more about the origins of our local war memorials.
Read more
Visit the local history section of this website to see lots of stories on how local life, and lives, were affected by the 2 world wars – including some extraordinary and moving tales of those who have fought and died, and those who suffered during the Holocaust.
Photograph of wreaths at Ealing War Memorial is copyright of John Sturrock.
