How we remembered our heroes:
We honoured those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave us the freedoms we have today
S carborough joined the rest of the nation in honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice, with services and events to mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that brought the First World War to an end.
In the town, as well as surrounding villages, scores of people made huge efforts to mark the occasion, ranging from art projects and knitting poppies, to school assemblies and church services.
Scarborough’s official commemoration events began on Saturday with a “Royal Albert Hall” style concert and service, preceded by a poppy lantern parade featuring 100 lanterns, from the Grand Hotel across Spa Bridge and to the Spa.
The lanterns were decorated by Lee Threadgold and Dawn Dyson-Threadgold of Animated Objects Theatre Company, which also made three wire-sculpture soldiers, one each for Scarborough, Whitby and Filey. The Scarborough one stood in the Spa for Saturday evening’s service.
The Spa event featured music, speeches, readings and blessings, including from Vicar of Scarborough the Rev Richard Walker and the Bishop of Hull, the Right Rev Alison White.
Dotted among the audience members in the Spa Grand Hall were 10 transparent acrylic silhouette ‘Tommies’, representing ‘There But Not There’, the national Armistice project for the charity Remembered, which were donated by Girlguiding Scarborough West Division.
Music came from The York and Dishforth Military Wives Choir and Scarborough Concert Band, and, from the UK Foundation for Dance, Tim Tubbs, Matt Stradling and Kathryn Irwin, dressed in period costume, performed songs from the First World War.
Former Royal Navy diver and ex-Scarborough lifeboat member Wave Crookes read a “letter home” entitled Over The Top, and Captain Tony Viney of the Yorkshire Regiment gave an insight into the modern army and the work of the regiment; currently its three battalions and reserve battalion are all serving overseas.
Lee Threadgold spoke of the parade lanterns, which were on sale after the event, with money going to the Royal British Legion, and also of its wire-soldier installations.
A moving Drumhead Ceremony featured drums from Scarborough Sea Cadets, on which were placed standards from the Royal British Legion and Royal Naval Association, and two Bibles, one German, one English.
Borough mayor Cllr Joe Plant read a poem, The Sol- dier’s Grave, by TW Ward, and the Last Post preceded a twominute silence and falling of poppies on to the stage.
Also on Saturday, the third annual Armistice Ball took place at the Crown Spa Hotel.
Organised by Help for Heroes, the 1940s themed event raised money for veterans and serving personnel and included a charity auction.
Organisers said: “The Crown Spa Hotel were excellent hosts and couldn’t do enough to help with the event.
“And obviously a big thank you to our lovely guests.
“It was a fantastic atmosphere and we raised lots of money for a great cause.”
On Sunday there was a service at Queen Street Methodist Central Hall, followed by a parade to the lifeboat house, where the RNLI held its service and poppy wreaths were laid at sea.
The main Remembrance ceremony took place at Oliver’s Mount, where civic officials, MP Robert Goodwill, veterans and cadets, and other organisations, laid wreaths at the war memorial.
At the end of the service on Oliver’s Mount, Steve Jewell from the Royal British Legion was handed a National Service medal which someone had lost. Anyone who thinks it might belong to them should contact the Royal British Legion in Scarborough.
Armistice Ball The ball, held at the Crown Spa Hotel, was raising money for Help For Heroes