Battle’s Over –Southend Commemorates WW1 centenary

October 14, 2018 by Southend Borough Council

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is playing its part in Battle’s Over - an international commemoration marking 100 years since the guns fell silent at the end of World War I. 

Organised by Pageantmaster Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR, Battle’s Over takes place on 11 November 2018, with events throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and at scores of locations overseas, including New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Bermuda, France, Belgium, Canada, the United States and Germany.

It begins at 6am with lone pipers playing Battle’s O’er, a traditional Scottish air played after a battle, outside cathedrals in the country, following which a specially written tribute will be read out. At the same time, over 1,000 pipers will be playing the tune in individual locations within their local communities. 

At 6.55pm buglers will sound The Last Post at more than 1,000 locations. At 7pm beacons will be lit in a tribute called Beacons of Light, signifying the light of peace that emerged from the darkness of four years of war.

Then at 7.05pm over 1,000 church and cathedrals will ring their bells as part of Ringing Out for Peace organised in association with the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, which represents 65 societies of ringers from the British Isles and overseas. Also at 7.05, more than 140 town criers will perform a specially written Cry for Peace Around the World, the first of them in New Zealand and then across the globe through the various time zones.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is taking part in the following events:

·         Pipers will be playing Battle’s O’er at the Shoebury War Memorial, Southend Cenotaph and at Eastwood Memorial Hall at 6am

·         Last Post will be performed at the Southend Cenotaph at 6.55pm, and at Churches around the area, including at – St George’s RC Church, Shoeburyness, St Clements Church, Leigh on Sea, St Barnabas Church, Hadleigh and St Mary’s Prittlewell Church in Southend.

·         A Beacon will be lit at the Southend Cenotaph at 7pm.

·         The Town Crier will perform “Cry for Peace Around the World” at the Southend Cenotaph at 7.05pm

·         At 7.05pm Church bells will be rung out across the town, including – Holy Trinity Church, Southchurch, St George’s RC Church, Shoeburyness, St Barnabas Church, Hadleigh, St Saviour’s Church, Westcliff, St Andrew’s Church, Shoeburyness,  St Clement’s Church, Leigh on Sea, St John’s Church, Pier Hill, Southend, St James the Less Church, Hadleigh, and St Mary’s Prittlewell Church, Southend.

·         Members have also agreed to dedicate part of the Cliffs gardens to commemorate our country’s heroes.

Cllr John Lamb, leader of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, said: “Remembrance Sunday is historically one of the most important days for our country. 

“The opportunity to gather together and show respect for the service men and women who gave their lives in the First World War is a humbling and profound experience.

“We hope that many of the community will be able to attend the events and show their respect as a town for the heroic sacrifices made by our town’s service men and women to defend the liberties that we all enjoy today.”

 In addition to Battle’s Over, Southend will again host its annual Remembrance Day Services and parades. Further information about these events will be publicised at www.southend.gov.uk/southendremembers in the coming days.