Armistice Day

Yesterday’s editorial on the Peter Jackson film makes a salient point when comparing the reactions of communities at the end of World War I compared with Word War II. “Armistice was not greeted with scenes of public jubilation . . . families and communities were too depleted, too many young men were maimed for life, too many were not coming back.” At the church of St Alban the Martyr, Dominion Rd, we are reminded of this every Sunday as we are confronted by the memorials with the names of soldiers who died in this conflict. Each name has behind it a family who suffered a great loss. One family had four sons, two returned and two were left dead on the battlefield.

Armistice Day reminds us of the moment the guns fell silent, the moment the horror stopped. To show respect for the lives named in this church, on Sunday November 11, after our usual service, silence will be kept, the church bell will ring and the young men will be remembered. Some of their descendants will be present as they give honour to the sacrifice of their ancestors.

Rev Mark Beale, St Alban's Church.