Walsall Wood Church: St. John’s is the location of the War Memorial and focus for the village remembrance activities.
Friend of the blog and leader of 1st Walsall Wood Scout Group Lee Braggington writes to me with a very interesting enquiry. It had never registered with me before, but Lee is quite right; Walsall Wood’s Remembrance Parade has always seemed to be on a Sunday Afternoon – this year on the 10th November.
I can’t think of anywhere else that does this, and neither can Lee, so we thought we’d toss it out there for readers to chew the cud over. I can see that maybe with the close proximity to Brownhills, maybe it was so families can attend both parades if necessary. But it does seem a little unusual.
Perhaps some of the Walsall Wood Contingent can help, maybe Davids Evans or Oakley?
If you want to attend a parade this year, Walsall Wood is always a fine event and Lee’s Group always serve the village well. It’s at such occasions you realise that Walsall Wood may encompass a large area, but it’s still a small, welcoming and community-spirited village at heart.
Lee wrote:
Bob
With Remembrance Day fast approaching, we are looking ahead to our annual Walsall Wood Remembrance parade along with the other youth organisations on Sunday 10th November.
Our parade is unusual in that it takes place on the Sunday afternoon rather than the traditional morning slot, and has been as long as I’ve been involved.
With so many of knowledgeable readers of your blog, I wonder if any of your readers are able to find out and advise why it is that our parade is in the afternoon and how long this has been the case?
I hope someone is able to help with this trivial but intriguing local mystery.
Many thanks in advance,
Lee
Group Scout Leader
1st Walsall Wood Scout Group
www.walsallwoodscouts.org.uk
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I was a scout leader at walsall wood in the 90s and we used to march from oak park to st johns walsall wood on a morning for remembrance service so it must have changed after that time
Interesting. I joined the group in 1989 and only ever remember it being in the afternoon. Although the memory of a 9 year might not be a reliable source!
Hi Lee, There was a suggestion that perhaps to avoid clashing with others, ie Brownhills, Walsall Wood held theirs in the afternoon, this theory could hold water as Aldridge also has a remembrance day parade which traditionally kicks off at 10.30am, the three groups from Aldridge usually attend in good numbers and there is always a good turnout, from the Community Centre at Anchor Meadow up to the Parish Church the Police block the traffic and allow the parade a safe passage, I’m no expert but I would guestimate a crowd of perhaps a thousand or so people converging on the Cenotaph at 11.00am.
Keep up the good work Lee………….
Peter.
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