The Royal British Legion is recognised as the national custodian of Remembrance. Those who fell in the wars of 1914-1945, whose names are recorded on local War Memorials, are also remembered and recorded here - to see those names for each village in our District, please click this Web page's appropriate side tab.

2023

BYFIELD REMEMBERED as recorded below. Left to right, people gathered at our War Memorial, Chris paraded our Standard (for the last time) together with our Scouts, Cubs and Beavers. Bishop Ed took the lead and our Chairman David read the Role of Honour. Wreaths were laid and Standards were dipped before the two-minutes silence. This was a sad day in many respects, not least for Byfield and District Royal British Legion, which can now only be remembered.

As always, and in 2023, REMEMBRANCE ceremonies took place at War Memorials around our District. Previously, Byfield and Boddington schools paraded at their respective War Memorials on the morning of Friday 10 November 2023. Then services were held in our District's churches on Sunday 12 November 2023. After the church services people gathered at War Memorials at about10:45, to lay wreaths and to be ready for the 11/11/11 ceremony, including sounding The Last Post, and then Two Minutes of Silence, all of which were also held simultaneously around our nation, and of course, overseas.

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY, the second Sunday in November, is the day traditionally put aside to remember all those who have given their lives for the peace and freedom we enjoy today.

The image above is of no specific year but depicts the start of the service at a village War Memorial

Reporting on the Remembrance events for 2022, Our Chairman Bob advised that there was a time issue with the Byfield children’s attendance at the War Memorial, but luckily Our Member Alan Bailey was present at the correct time and officiated. Our thanks are given to Alan.

Our Member Ali Thorne advised that Remembrance Sunday in Woodford Halse had gone very well. They had 19 veterans parading behind the branch standard. Horses paraded around the village led by a Driven Horse and appropriately decorated Trap. They joined the back of the parade that was led by the RBL Standard and Bearer, followed by serving personnel, 19 Veterans, Scouts, Cubs, Beavers and Explorers. The parade walked to the church for the service, the church's approach being lined by the knitted poppy display. At the subsequent Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial at 11:00 hrs, Mark Thorne read the Roll of the Fallen on behalf of the RBL. Tea, coffee and biscuits followed in the Dryden Hall, with the Fleur de Lys pub opening for the afternoon with suitable entertainment (a singer who performs the old-time war songs. Last year a bugler popped in to play the Last Post and Reveille as well).

Our Secretary Caroline advised that attendance at Byfield Church seemed to be a little down on previous years. The ceremony at the Byfield War Memorial went well with John Russell and Bishop Ed (Rtd) officiating, and the Scouts, Beavers and Cubs were present with their respective flags.

In 2021, there was still some fall-out from the pandemic but somewhat subdued ceremonies and services did take place. Our thanks to Heather Hall of Byfield who knitted 100 poppies that were tastefully arranged in the parish church. Due to failing eyesight, our very senior Member Fred has given-over to our schoolchildren, his task of writing the names of our fallen on wooden crosses. Those are placed around the War Memorial by young children at their own service every year. Point to note, names should be written in permanent marker to reduce the fading effect of UV light.

Remembrance Sunday 2020: It's 100 years since Byfield's War Memorial was erected and inaugurated and it's also the 100th anniversary of The Unknown Warrior being laid to rest in London's Westminster Abbey.

This year, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are unable to organise ANY ceremony. On top of that, we entered another nationwide "lockdown" before Remembrance day.

There was no parade of Standards at our War Memorials. Services at all the churches in our District were also cancelled. On the 8th November we asked everyone to pay their respects in some way. Some visited their local War Memorials as part of their "permitted daily exercise", where impromptu services were conducted. We hope all thought of why we observe two minutes of silence at 1100 wherever we are. It seemed to have tried its damnedest but for all its virility, Covid-19 couldn't stop individual ceremonies occurring everywhere.

OUR DISTRICT REMEMBERS IN THEIR OWN WAY.

Wreath laying this year was a lonely affair.

Eydon was typical of the ceremonies going-on around our District. There they had a short simple ceremony with the tenor bell of St. Nicholas Church tolling out across the fields. The wreaths were laid after a short opening prayer. Then the list of the fallen in both wars was read out followed by the Exhortation. The single bell-ringer then paused for two minutes silence before the tolling resumed. Then the Kohima epitaph was read, followed by a closing Prayer. Spaced-out around the burial ground where our War Memorial is located, we were pleased to count 32 people watching the ceremony and paying their own tribute to the fallen.

On the subject of the age of War Memorials and speaking of Eydon, other Memorials around our District must be of a similar longevity. Our Member Geoffrey recently wrote in his village's parish magazine, the Eydon Village News, about their WM; just click-on this for Geoffrey's story about Eydon's War Memorial.

IN PAST YEARS...

Remembrance Sunday 2019 (101 years since the END of the First World War and 100 years since the two minutes silence of respect was introduced to be observed at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month - and on all Remembrance Sundays). The Remembrance Service in Byfield commenced at 10.00 a.m. in Holy Cross church, and continued at 10.50 a.m. at the War Memorial. The images below are of the Children's Service at 0930 two days before.

Both services, in Byfield Holy Cross Church and subsequently at our War Memorial were well attended by young and old, as emphasised by our Beavers in the images below. They were not alone as, along with them and other elder organisations from the village, Cubs and Scouts all laid wreaths too.

The Beavers, Cubs and Scouts also paraded their standards with ours, we were proud of them.

ANNUAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE OTHER VILLAGES OF OUR DISTRICT ARE USUALLY AS FOLLLOWS... 

Aston le Walls See also sub-page "Provoking Thought". Normally, Aston's 10.15 a.m. Service is in St. Leonard's church, which then joins with the local Roman Catholic congregation at the War Memorial in St. Leonard's churchyard. The R.C.'s service always commences in their church just before and continues in that church afterwards, once the ceremony at the War Memorial is complete. 

The Boddingtons As in Byfield, the children of Boddington School remember the fallen by the separate small ceremony of "planting the crosses", where a small wooden cross for each of Boddingtons fallen is placed around their War Memorial by an individual child. This usually occurs a day or so before the relevant Sunday; see our Photo Gallery for some snaps of the occasion previously.

In previous years on Remembrance Sunday the village's Remembrance service commenced at 10.45 a.m. in St. John the Baptist's church and later at the War Memorial outside.

Canons Ashby St. Mary's Priory church - no service - see Moreton Pinkney

Catesby (& Lower Catesby) The Service alternates annually between St. John the Baptist's church HELLIDON at 10.45.a.m. and Catesby's own church of St. Mary & St. Edmund.

Charwelton The Service is usually held early, in in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd (opposite the Village Hall).

Chipping Warden There is a service in church of St.Peter & St.Paul followed by the reading of the Roll of Honour, & then the silence, all in the church. However, recently that latter ceremony has moved outside to the village sign.

Culworth Service in St. Mary the Virgin's church and at the War Memorial afterwards.

Eydon Service in St. Nicholas's church and at the War Memorial afterwards.

Fawsley Service in St. Mary the Virgin's church 

Hellidon  The Service is in St. John the Baptist's church HELLIDON.

Moreton Pinkney Service in St. Mary the Virgin's church

Preston Capes Service in St. Peter & St. Paul's church and outside at 11 a.m

Woodford Halse St. Mary the Virgin's church and at the War Memorial outside.

EXCEPT FOR CHARWELTON, which often has a service at 0830, SERVICES COMMENCE AT APPROXIMATELY 1000hrs, and end just before eleven at the respective War Memorials.

Please see our Photo Gallery for images of previous services.

     IN PREVIOUS YEARS                

Remembrance Sunday 2018 (100 years since the END of the First World War). The Remembrance Service in Byfield commenced at 10.00 a.m. in Holy Cross church, and continued at 10.55 a.m. at the War Memorial. The image above is of the start of the Children's Service at 0930 two days before.

A commemoration of the Armistice commenced in Byfield Village Hall at 3 p.m. through to 7 p.m when a beacon was lit on the recreation ground.

As usual, Children of Byfield School planted crosses by the Byfield War Memorial in 2017 at 09.30 a.m. on Friday 10th November. There was a small ceremony, which included The Last Post and Reveille from our bugler Peter, now a nonagenarian, with a two minute silence in between.

At their War Memorial, Children of Boddington's School did the same just before 1100 hrs.

On Saturday the 11th at 11.00 a.m. the Last Post was sounded again by Peter at the Byfield War Memorial. This year we were pleased to welcome a visitor from down-under, a Commander from the Royal Australian Navy, who was holidaying nearby and joined us for the Armistice ceremony.

AND in the evening at The Royal Albert Hall, Vernon and Judith represented Byfield & District Branch of the RBL at the annual Festival of Remembrance in the presence of our patron H.M Queen Elizabeth II...      

On Sunday in 2017 your scribe attended St. Leonard's, Aston Le Walls, another parish in our District, for their Remembrance Service. More than two dozen were there to experience a well elucidated service with some hearty unaccompanied singing.                               Outside the congregation was swelled by those attending the District's Catholic church nearby, who joined us for the ceremony at this small village's War Memorial. The Last Post and Revellie were sounded by the parish's teenage bugler, one of several youngsters we were pleased to see who joined-in the proceedings.

The sermon orated in St Leonards was particularly relevant, and interesting, and something you might like to peruse - it is reproduced here as a sub page to this article entitled Provoking thought.

In Byfield in 2017 our ex WRNS Annabel laid a special wreath commemorating this, the 100th anniversary year of the formation of the Womens Royal Naval Service.

Our Scouts, Cubs and Beavers paraded in force; its good to see the youngsters getting involved...

See our Photo Gallery pages for a bit more...

In 2016... Armistice Day, 11th November was on a Friday, so the children of Byfield school assembled at the War Memorial on the corner of Banbury Lane and High Street NN11 6XQ at 10.35 on that day; a short service followed. The children then placed crosses, and poppies they had made around the memorial, after which The Last Post was sounded at 1059 hours, followed by the two minute silence; Reveille ended the procedings. More photos can be found in our Gallery.

On Sunday 13th the church service in Byfield was as usual at Holy Cross church, Church Street, Byfield NN11 6XN. It commenced at 10.00 and continued at the War Memorial in time for the Silence at 11.00.

The processional arrangements were that the Legion Standard bearer was seated on the North side with the Scout Group Colours facing him on the South side. Wreath bearers were seated in the 3rd row of pews leaving the front 2 rows for the youngsters. During the penultimate hymn "I vow to thee my country" the Standard Bearer and Colours holders collected their Standards and Colours and returned to their positions facing each other ready to dip for the National Anthem that followed.

After the National Anthem, Standard and Colours returned to the Carry.

Then the procedure was as follows: On completion of the National Anthem Wreath Bearers moved forward to collect their wreaths and stand behind the altar rail facing the congregation. The Rector gave the Blessing and then lead out followed by the Standard, Colours, Wreath Bearers and Choir to the Recessional Hymn "Thine be the Glory". The congregation then repaired to the War Memorial (see above). After the War Memorial service there were, as usual refreshments in Byfield Village Hall.

In 2015, in Byfield the remembrance service at Holy Cross church, Church Street, Byfield NN11 6XN started at 10 a.m. After the service in the church had finished at about 1045, the laying of wreaths at Byfield War Memorial on the corner of Banbury Lane and High Street NN11 6XQ and the sounding of The Last Post, completed that year's commemorations.

Prior to this on the 6th November at 9.30 a.m. crosses with names added of those who have fallen, were planted at the Byfield War Memorial by children of Byfield Primary School.

On Armistice Day itself, the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour The Last Post was sounded at Byfield War Memorial at a small ceremony to commemorate the fallen since August 1914.

Services in other villages in our District were of course also held on Remembrance Sunday.

Please see paper archives for anything before autumn 2015.

______________________________

On the sub-pages to this Remembrance page, where you will see that each village in our District that has a War Memorial has a separate page, it is our hope to be able to make a digital permanent record of those from our District who fell in war or conflict since 1914.  This information will be added-to as research makes it available. 

Unfortunately here and there, some engravings are suffering from time, weather etc. but by including names here we hope they will never be forgotten. Sadly one name has been omitted, as it is now unreadable on the Charwelton Memorial and to date, research has not revealed the name of that soldier, sailor or airman.

Those Memorials do not record service casualties from the numerous wars since 1945 therefore we regret that many more names may have to be added. Anyone having lost someone in conflict since 1945 is asked to contact us to have that person's name recorded here.

In addition, anyone who may discover any error or omission herein is asked to advise us, in order that we may rectify that. 

THIS ACT OF SOMME REMEMBRANCE MOVES THE NATION

Somme remembrance "We're here, because we're here" was organised by the artist Jeremy Deller.