Poignant gathering at Balfron ceremony
More than 200 join in
More than 200 villagers gathered to pay their respects at Balfron’s service of Remembrance on Sunday.
The service followed the poignant sound of bagpipes greeting the dawn - played by Luke Nisbet - beside the village war memorial at 6am. Young piper Luke was one of thousands all over the world playing the Scottish lament ‘When the Battle’s O’er. This coincided with proceedings at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Westminster Abbey and other locations globally.
Guides, Brownies, Scouts and Cubs joined villagers - some wearing their own or relatives’ medals - for the Act of Remembrance led by minister, Reverend Sigrid Marten, the playing of The Last Post, and the laying of poppy wreaths.
It was followed by the rededication of the newlyrefurbished war memorial during which villagers heard an explanation of the biblical imagery featured in the memorial’s bronze plaque and listened to a roll call of the fallen. A short road closure at Balfron Clachan allowed the ceremonies, including the two-minute silence, to take place without being disturbed by passing traffic.
The rededication was followed by a united service of worship in Balfron Church and later the events concluded with Battle’s Over – Ringing for Peace at 7.05pm in which Balfron’s Church bell, with those throughout the country, rang to mark the actual time when the guns of World War 1 fell silent. The Last Post was played at the church door as the final act of the day.
In Balfron Library the Heritage Group mounted a special exhibition and reprised the Garden of Remembrance display created for September’s flower festival.
In Killearn, silhouettes of soldiers used in the local play Journey’s End were put on display in Main Street/