Gathering Together in Solidarity

Remembering with Silence

 

 

If the weather is dry, stories and poems will be read by representatives from a range of Northstowe’s community groups, reflecting the different backgrounds and worldviews of those who have served and inspire us to stand together. This section will be shortened if the weather is very bad.

You might also like to read additional reflections on the role of Remembering from Revd Beth, following her visit to Rwanda last year here: What might it mean to “be Northstowe” – a Remembrance Day reflection – Beth's Blog (home.blog)

And additional stories of Muslims who paid the ultimate sacrifice on the Northstowe Muslim's website here. Remembrance Day | Northstowe Muslims
 

Introduction: Today, we remember the horrors of war and the heroism of individuals through silence, through story, and through poetry, so that these may become real in the present and influence and inspire us to work for reconciliation, peace and justice in the future.  
 

Introduction:  RAF Oakington was home to ‘pathfinder’ squadrons, tasked with marking out targets for other planes. Naturally, this made them targets themselves. One pathfinder flier, Captain Edwin Swales, was caught by enemy fighters but kept on flying…

Story: On 23 February 1945, Captain Edwin Swales' pathfinder mission was interrupted by enemy fighters, who took one of his engines out of action. Unperturbed, he continued his mission, issuing aiming instructions to the rest of the force.
The more difficult task still lay ahead of him, however. With navigational instruments damaged and the speed of the aircraft so reduced that it could barely remain in the air, Captain Swales was determined not to let the craft, or his men, fall into enemy hands. He set course back for Britain, flying between layers of crowd until they were back over friendly territory.
There, he fought to hold the failing aircraft steady for long enough to allow his crewmates to parachute to safety. Only once the last crew-member had dropped did he allow the aircraft to fall, perishing in the crash. He gave his life to enable his comrades to live.

 

Introduction: X will now share another local Pathfinder story. Tragically, this story demonstrates how even something like poor weather can kill in wartime.

Story: The disastrous night of 16/17 December 1943 came just one month into the Battle of Berlin,  Bomber Command’s all-out attempt to win the war by attacking the German capital and other key cities. But it was not the Germans who were responsible for the majority of RAF casualties that night but Bomber Command’s most formidable enemy – the weather.
The large force of 483 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitoes which had taken part in the bombing raid on Berlin on 16 December 1943 returned to England around 11 p.m., to find that the light mist of the afternoon had turned into a thick fog, blanketing the country as far up as Yorkshire. As the night wore on, the low cloud cover closed down towards the fog, eventually reducing visibility to close to nil.

At the adjacent Pathfinder stations of Bourn and Gransden Lodge, conditions were amongst the worst in the country. By midnight, visibility was down to 300 yards or less, and it took about 1,000 yards to stop a Lancaster.  By the early hours of the morning, cloud base at Gransden Lodge would be at 100 feet and the fog would be meeting up with it. 405 Squadron, which was based at Gransden Lodge, managed to land only five of its thirteen aircraft operating that night at their home station.

Three 405 Squadron crews crashed with heavy loss of life, including the very experienced crew of Burns Alexander McLennan. They had gone to try their luck at RAF Station Graveley, at which the landing aid FIDO was installed. All the crew died except Clair Nutting, the rear gunner, who was thrown clear.

The Pathfinder dead for fog-related crashes were two from 83 Squadron, six from 156 Squadron, fourteen from 405 Squadron, and twenty-eight from 97 Squadron, fifty men in all.

 

Introduction: The Northstowe Muslims have a page on their website telling of Muslims who made huge sacrifices for those of all religious and non religious beliefs. X will now read to us about Ali Haidar, who features on their website.

Story: In April 1945, a Company of the 13th Frontier Force Rifles were ordered to assault the forces who were securely fortified on the other side of the river Senio, in Italy. Among the troops was Ali Haidar. As soon as Haidar’s platoon started to cross, it came under heavy fire and only three men, including Haider himself, managed to get across.

Leaving his comrades to cover him, Haidar charged the nearest position. He threw a grenade and almost at the same time the enemy threw one at him, wounding him severely in the back. In spite of his injuries he kept on and the enemy post was destroyed and four of the enemy surrendered. He went on to charge the next post, taking injuries on his right leg and right arm. Although weakened by blood loss, Haidar persevered, throwing another grenade. Two enemy were wounded and the remaining two surrendered.

The rest of the Company were able to take advantage of the opening Haidar made to charge across the river and carry out their task of making a bridgehead. Haidar was picked up and brought back, heavily wounded. His personal bravery in the face of incredible odds had saved the Battalion a huge number of casualties, as well as enabling them to build a tactically critical bridge in good time. Haidar survived the war and was able to retire home.

Source: The London Gazette, quoted on the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association website: https://vcgca.org/our-people/profile/1405/ali

 

Introduction: Another survivor, who made self-less sacrifices, was Nancy Wake. X will read us her story.
 

Story: Nancy was born in New Zealand in 1912 and ran away from home when she was 16. She worked as a nurse before moving to New York and London to become a journalist. In the mid-1930s Nancy moved to France and saw the rise of the Nazis.
 

Whilst in France she joined the southern France escape network, who helped people escape to freedom. The Germans learnt what Nancy was doing and she became their most wanted person in the Marseilles area. They even put out a reward of five million francs for her capture.

Nancy escaped into Spain and then made her way to Britain where she joined their new secret service – the Special Operations Executive.

During her training she made some great friendships with other female agents. She was parachuted back into France in 1944, where she recruited, armed and organised a force of 7,000 members of the French Resistance.

Nancy Wake was awarded the George Medal, the US Medal of Freedom, the Médaille de la Résistance, Légion d’Honneur, and the Croix de Guerre, making her the most highly decorated Allied servicewoman of WW2.

Introduction: Even the very young can serve others - and have their lives taken away by war. Our next story, read by X, reflects this:

Story: Jack Cornwell was born in 1900 and joined the Scouts at a young age, where he gained new skills and a recognition for his hard work. His Scouting career was cut short by the outbreak of World War One. Jack was too young to join the army but, in 1915, at 15 years old he was old enough to join the navy.

In the navy he completed his basic training and moved onto the more complex skills of a Sight Setter - setting the elevation and direction of a gun on a warship. He was assigned to the HMS Chester, which, in May 1916, engaged the German Fleet in the Battle of Jutland.

There, he received a serious wound. His Captain later wrote to Jack’s mother, Lily Cornwell, describing what happened next: 'He remained steady at his most exposed post at the gun, waiting for orders... But he felt he might be needed, and, indeed, he might have been; so he stayed there standing and waiting, under heavy fire, with just his own brave heart and God’s help to support him.'

Following the battle, he died on 2 June 1916, aged 16.

After his death he received a Victoria Cross in recognition of his bravery. The Scouting organisation also created an award in his honour - the Cornwell Badge, awarded for an act of bravery which saved a life or have undergone suffering in a heroic manner.

 

In addition to the servicemen and women who have died in combat, we also remember those who are still alive, but fighting their own battles. More than 40,000 men and women have been medically discharged from the Armed Forces due to injury or illness over the last 20 years. The number continues to rise, with five individuals being medically discharged every day. Their struggle often goes unrecognised. We remember them today.
 
PAUSE
 
 
Introduction: Our final “storytelling”, read to us by X, is a timeless poem that speaks to the many conflicts of the last century… and those ongoing today. As we listen, let us hold in our hearts both the horror of such times, but also the seeds of hope that we have shared together today.
 

We remember today all the ordinary people
ripped from their towns and villages,
torn from their families
to serve their country in war.

We remember today the people
left behind to keep things going
in factories, on farms, on the streets blitzed by war.

We remember today the people
who lost their lives in war
and those left behind who never saw their loved ones again,
who grew up without a parent, a sibling, a partner or a friend,
who never discovered love again
and who grew old alone.

We remember today all the ordinary people
on either side of the conflict whose lives were changed forever
all those who paid the price of freedom.

And, in remembering the ordinary people,
we remember that the cost of war will always be too high
and paid for by ordinary people.

Liz Crumlish of Spill the beans

 

Let us remember before God, and commend to his sure keeping:
Those who have died for their country in war;
Those whom we knew, whose memory we treasure;
and all who have lived and
died in the service of all people.
 
Representative and other members of the public come forward to lay wreaths  or offer other symbols of remembrance and hope, such as single flowers or crosses or other symbols. Wreaths will be laid against the tree between the benches in the recommended order (as listed in the RBL Ceremonial Handbook):

Today, we have remembered the horrors of war and the heroism of individuals through silence and through story, in the hope that these may become real in the present and influence and inspire us to work for reconciliation, peace and justice in the future.
For those of us with a faith, we draw strength from the conviction that we do not have to do this alone, but do this in the strength of the God who loves all people.  
 
And so now we will pray, and then pledge ourselves to work together, with those of all religious and non religious beliefs, for peace and justice.
 

God of the impossible,
We pray for justice, peace and reconciliation;
When the challenges seem too many,
Remind us of your resurrection power;
When the task seems overwhelming,
Remind us of the miracle of love;
And when apathy threatens us,
Remind us of your vision of a world made whole.
Help us to hope that the impossible can happen
And live as if it might do so today. Amen.

 

 

All are invited to join together in the Lord’s Prayer:
All: Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom, the power,
and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen

Let us commit ourselves to responsible living and faithful service.
Will you strive for all that makes for peace?
We will
Will you seek to heal the wounds of war?
We will
Will you work for a just future for all humanity?
We will

All:  Lead us from death to life,
From falsehood to truth.
Lead us from despair to hope,
From fear to trust.
Lead us from hate to love,
From war to peace.
Let peace fill our hearts,
Our world, our universe. Amen

(The Prayer for Peace)
 

Minister:
God grant to the living grace, to the departed rest,
to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth and all people,
unity, peace and concord,
and to us and all God’s servants, life everlasting.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you all
and remain with you always.
Amen
 
This service was put together  drawing on the following resources