Gainsborough's Remembrance Day tribute carries extra poignancy

Wreath-laying at a former Remembrance Day service in Gainsborough.

This year’s tribute on Sunday, November 11 carries extra poignancy because it marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

A service will begin at All Saints Church at 10 am, followed by a procession, led by the British Legion and clergy and also including civic dignitaries and the church congregation.

The procession will go to the nearby war memorial, where there will be a short act of remembrance. Two minutes’ silence will be observed at 11 am before the ‘Last Post’ and ‘Reveille’ are played and wreaths are laid on the memorial.

Any organisations or individuals are being given the opportunity to lay wreaths at a garden of remembrance at the war memorial.

Remembrance Day, known also as Armistice Day, has been observed in Gainsborough since the end of the First World War in 1918. But, says the town council, “its relevance remains undiminished”.

A spokesman said: “When we bow our heads in reflection, we remember those who fought during two world wars for our freedom, and we also mourn and honour those who have lost their lives in more recent conflicts.

“Today, with troops ready for duty in trouble spots around the world, Remembrance Day and the two minutes’ silence are as important as ever.

“This is a rare moment when the nation can stand together and reflect on the price of freedom.”