The plaque in St Wilfrids church bearing the names of those from Northenden who fell in World War I.This year remembrance day coincided with a Sunday, and so the 'proper' 2 minute silence was held at the Methodist Church service we attended this weekend.
The service was quite moving, and the Rev Bown
spoke of the cost of war and the society we live in today. He recalled a 15 year old boy he knew in south Manchester who was scared witless by a local gang that had threatened to shoot him unless he paid them £90.
"Was this the society our men made the ultimate sacrifice for?" he asked.
After the service we walked across the road to the memorial and I laid a wreath on behalf of the Northenden Lib-Dems. More Vets, the Rev Forster and his congregation, the councillors and about a hundreds residents joined us outside.
The veterans are getting quite frail and few now. Only about a dozen medal bearing veterans were to be found either in the service or at the war memorial afterwards.
After the short service at the memorial I was invited into the social club where one proud vet, Tommy, told me that his captain had recently given him a parade rod with his name inscribed upon, a small vial of whiskey hidden inside and a small compass in the also hidden in the head of the rod.
I was impressed with this exquisite gift and Tommy told me he was very proud of it. He showed me the George Cross he earned in the war for saving his captain's life. Amazingly at 92 he is still with us, thanks to Tommy!
I am so proud of the generation that saved our nation from fascism. They deserve all the respect and gratitude our nation can bestow upon them. We have so many young men and women now serving in other nations, fighting for their freedom. I only hope that their sacrifice is honoured with the same respect for generations to come
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