A socially distanced Service of Remembrance was held in the memorial garden at Carisbrooke Castle earlier this week.
The annual service, held under coronavirus guidelines, was led by the Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight, the Ven Peter Leonard, and attended by the Island’s Lord-Lieutenant, Susie Sheldon, and High Sheriff, Caroline Peel.
Wooden crosses were also laid by the chairman of the Isle of Wight Council, Councillor George Cameron, Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Lt-Colonel Sir Guy Acland Bt, retired Lord-Lieutenant, Major General Sir Martin White and the chairman of the South East Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (SERFCA Hants and Isle of Wight), Brigadier Maurice Sheen.
Bugler, Stuart Kent, played the Last Post and Reveille and the Archdeacon read the Exhortation and the Kohima Epitaph.
Watch online this Sunday
The service was filmed and will be available to view on YouTube on Remembrance Sunday (8th November), incorporating coverage of all the war memorials on the Isle of Wight. This will be available to watch from 10.45am on Sunday on YouTube.
Islanders are reminded that due to the current social restrictions, the Island’s Remembrance Day Parade followed by the Civic Act of Remembrance and wreath laying at Newport war memorial will not take place this year.
The Lord Lieutenant and the chairman of the Isle of Wight Council will still lay wreaths on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen and the Island’s community on Remembrance Sunday.
Two-minute silence on your doorstep
Residents are encouraged to take part in the two minute silence on their doorstep, or inside their homes, as a mark of remembrance at 11am on Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day (Wednesday 11th November).
Councillor Cameron said:
“I am sure that despite this disappointment, people will still mark this important occasion by spending a few moments to remember from home all those that that gave their lives in war to protect our way of life.”
Social distance to lay wreaths
Anyone wishing to lay wreaths at the Newport war memorial and any memorial across the Island is asked to do so over the course of Remembrance Sunday and also on Armistice Day — and in accordance with the latest social distancing guidance.
Pop a poppy in your window
The council is also following the lead of the Royal British Legion in encouraging homes and businesses to mark Remembrance Sunday and show support for the armed forces community by displaying a poppy in their window.
This could be a traditional Royal British Legion paper poppy, a homemade poppy, a coloured-in poppy or a printed picture. There are pictures of poppies available to download and print from the Royal British Legion website.
Meanwhile, the council has arranged for maroons to be fired in Newport to mark the 11th hour on both Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day.
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office. Ed
