Remembrance Sunday 2011 Aldridge, by Andrew Watson, posted in his Flickr photo stream.

Following the request last Sunday evening by Neil Harris for details of Bloxwich Remembrance Sunday Service, readers rallied round to help with information aplenty – for which I thank you all. Subsequently I, others on local social media networks and top folks at Walsall Council got our heads together and assembled the following list of events.

Note that the Barr Beacon and Blakenall events take place on Friday 8th November 2013.

These functions are organised by a diverse range of organisations, most outside the auspices of the local authority, so getting comprehensive information has been no small task. I’d like to particularly thank Kate and Dan at the council, and especially the traffic management guys and police who pooled all their information together. This has been a real work of cooperation and detection.

If you have any corrections, clarifications or additions, please do comment or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. I’d like to get the list as accurate and comprehensive as possible.

This may not be complete, and details are supplied in good faith. Neither I, Walsall Council or the named readers will be held responsible for inaccuracies in the details provided. We are all human, and this has been quite a tough task.

Your understanding is appreciated.

Walsall Remembrance Day events

Walsall’s Mayor will be leading the annual civic procession to the town’s cenotaph for the laying of wreaths on Remembrance Sunday.

Councillor Mohammad Nazir and his wife, Mayoress Riaz Begum Nazir, will assemble with representatives at Walsall Council House at 10.05am on Sunday 10 November.

Before the parade the Mayor will accompany members of John Henry Carless’s family and a representative from the Royal Naval Association to place a wreath on the Carless memorial in Lichfield Street, on behalf of the town.

There will also be an opportunity for others to lay wreaths there to honour Walsall-born Mr Carless who was awarded the Victoria Cross for “bravery and devotion to duty.”

The Mayor will return to Walsall Council House for 10.25am where the procession will then make its way to the cenotaph in Bradford Place via Lichfield Street, Lower Bridge Street, The Bridge and Bradford Street.

The procession will arrive at the cenotaph in Bradford Place and form in the roadway round the gardens.

The Mayoral party and the clergy will take their places ready for the start of the service at 10.40am.

The open air service, which will be amplified, will be conducted by the Reverend Mark Kinder, Vicar of St Paul’s The Crossing.

A sign language interpreter will also be available and will be positioned next to the microphone. People who are hard of hearing may wish to stand as close to the front as possible.

All present at the cenotaph are invited to join in singing hymns, accompanied by The Staffordshire Band and Members of the Credo Singers.

The exhortation will be read by a Walsall veteran.

Bugler from the Staffordshire Band will sound The Last Post before a rifle salute to mark the beginning and the end of the two minutes’ silence is given by members of the Mercian Regiment.

The bugler will then sound the Reveille before the Mayor leads the laying of wreaths.

Reverend Mark Kinder will give the blessing and all present are invited to sing the first verse of the National Anthem accompanied by The Staffordshire Band and the Credo Singers.

At the conclusion of the service the Mayoral Party will return along the same route to Walsall Council House, where the Mayor will take the salute, accompanied by a Mace Bearer and Standard Bearers from the Royal British Legion.

The Mayor said: ‘Remembrance Day is a time for us to reflect and remember the sacrifices made both in the past and in current conflicts.

‘Our thoughts will rightly be with those brave men and women and their loved ones on this important day.’

Across the borough we have been notified about other events: 

Aldridge

The parade is due to start from the Community Centre at 10.20am with a service being held at the Cenotaph on The Green. 

Bob adds:

From reader Peter:

‘Meet at Aldridge Community Centre 10.00am onwards.

Parade behind the Band of Squadron 425 Air Training Corps, Royal British Legion Standards and Aldridge based Scout and Guide Groups amongst many others, leaving the Community Centre at 10.20am.

Parade along Leighswood Road towards the “Elms Island”, along Little Aston Road to the Cenotaph.

Cenotaph: Remembrance Service starts at 11.00am.

Depart Cenotaph approx 11.20am to re-assemble at the Community Centre where normally Richard Shepherd and others say a few words.

Teas and coffees in the Community Centre afterwards.’

Barr Beacon

See this link here.

‘Barr Beacon Trust members will be joined by the Mayor of Walsall, Councillor Mohammad Nazir, and a number of faith and community representatives will all attend the service at 11am on Friday 8 November 2013 which will feature prayers, readings, wreath laying and the Last Post.’

Bloxwich

The parade is due to start from outside the (former) Bull’s Head pub at 10.20am. There will be wreath laying and a service at the Cenotaph until around 11.10am. The parade will then process back to Park Road.

Bob adds:

From Walsall Wood Scout Leader Lee Bragginton:

‘Meet by what was the Bulls Head pub at 10.00 am, on the 10th of November the parade forms up about 10.15ish then parades down High Street to All Saints Church a short service with 2 min silence, then parade back up high street and dismiss about 11.30ish’

Pelsall

The parade is due to start from the Scout Hut in Clarendon Place at 10.20am. It will halt briefly at St Michael’s so that the congregation are able to join the parade. The parade will then move on to the Cenotaph where a short service will be held.

Bob adds:

From reader NJHag

‘The service at Pelsall Cenotaph begins at 10.40am on Sunday 10th November 2013, this year there will be a small number of chairs available at the cenotaph for veterans who wish to attend but experience difficulty in standing.

Service sheets will be distributed on the day and the wreath laying order will be coordinated by committee members with the Pelsall Branch Standard on display.’

Brownhills 

The parade is due to start from the Memorial Hall in Lichfield Road and travels to St. James’ Church, Church Road.

A service will be held at St. James’ Church and then the parade will return to the starting point.

Bob adds:

From John Bird via David Evans:

‘On Sunday Novemebr 9th – British Legion ex-servicemen and Army and RAF cadets will march in procession leaving the Memorial Hall in Lichfield Road at 10.30, via the High Street Miner Island and then to St James Church and cenotaph to lay wreaths with full honours and the church service of Remembrance.

Also, on 11 November a small detail of British Legion members will assemble again at the Cenotaph by St James church for the act of homage and two minutes silence at 11 o’clock.’

Rushall

A wreath will be laid at the Cenotaph.

Darlaston

The parade is due to start from Victoria Road and it will travel to St Lawrence Church for a service and the laying of wreaths. This will be followed by a parade to the war memorial where wreaths are re-laid.

Walsall Wood 

The parade is due to start from the car park of Oak Park leisure centre at 2.15pm and travels to St John’s Church for 2.30pm. 

There will be a short wreath laying ceremony at the War Memorial followed by the service in St John’s at 2.45pm.

Bob adds:

From Walsall Wood Scout Leader Lee Bragginton:

‘Meet at Oak Park Leisure Centre 2pm to parade to St John’s church for silence then service. Parade back to Oak Park after service, finish about 3.30pm.’

Streetly

The parade is due to start from Streetly Community Centre at 10.30am and will travel to All Saints Church for a service. After the service, the parade travels to the Lindens School, arriving at 12.45pm.  

Willenhall town centre

The parade is due to start from the Clock in the Market Place and will travel to the Cenotaph at Pinson Road.

Bob adds:

From Councillor Gareth Illmann-Walker:

‘Willenhall’s is the usual meet 9.30-10.00 by the clock for the parade up to the cenotaph. A small group usually split to go to the Portobello memorial. I’m doing that this year.’

And from Mark Wood of F8 Media:

‘Details for Remembrance Sunday at Willenhall.
Sally Army leave their club at 10.20 and March to the Cenotaph.
Police Road closures from 10-45 in the immediate vicinity.
March out back to the the club 11.15’

Short Heath

The parade is due to start from the Royal British Legion club in Church Rd, Short Heath and will travel to the Cenotaph at Haley Road/High Street for a service. After the service, the parade will return to the club.

Portobello

A short procession is due to start from the car park of Portobello Methodist Church and travel to the Cenotaph for a service.

Moxley

There will be a service but no parade. Wreaths will be laid at Moxley War Memorial with a period of silence at 11.00am.

Blakenall

There will be a service at the Peace Tree on Blakenall Lane at 10.30 on Friday 8th November, attended by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Pete Smith. The Peace Tree was planted in 1919 to commemorate the end of the First World War.