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11-11-11
The annual ceremony at the Royal British Legion Hall in Southampton Road, on Saturday 11 November to remember those of our comrades who have fallen in battle since 1914
The Branch standard was dipped in their honour at 1100 hrs and the Legion's 'EXHORTATION' was recited in memory of all who have fallen.
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REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 9th NOVEMBER 2025
52 young people from the rural parish of Copythorne wore poppies with the names of the young men who lost their lives during two world wars.
Before the Remembrance Service a parade left the Parish Hall for the half mile route to the War Memorial by St Mary's Church led by the Stanleys Own Scout Band and the Union Flag carried by the Guides and the Royal British Legion Standard carried by Mark Parry-Norton.
The Service at the War Memorial was led by Royal British Legion Chaplain, Rev John Reeve, and the Lord Lieutenant was represented by Mrs Anne Thompson DL.
The Roll of Honour was read by Branch Chairman 'Ginge' Kinley and bugler Jess Blackburn played the Last Post.
Prayers were read by young people from Bartley School, The Guides, the Scouts and James Read on behalf of the local Ukrainian Appeal.
The flags of the Rainbows, Brownie Guides and Guide Company as well as Squirrel Scouts, two Cub Scout and two Scout Troops and Magellan Explorer Scouts and the Legion standard were lowered and raised in good order.
Mrs Thompson laid the first wreath followed by some 30 wreaths by representatives from the main Services, the Parish Council and local organisations.
It was estimated that nearly 300 people were at the Service after which Mrs Thompson thanked all the young people for their response to the Service.
Copythorne History Society once again provided an ‘Avenue of Remembrance’ displaying the names and information about the young men whose names are on the War Memorial.
‘We will remember them’
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Sunday 2nd November 2025 saw an Excellent Performance of the
Ocean Brass
in a
Festival of Remembrance
at the Copythorne Parish Hall
Branch Standards from from Fawley, Totton & Eling and Milford-on-Sea W/S marched in to the Royal British Legion march and after the interval for the Act of Remembrance
Major (rtd) Ian R Peaple LRSM conducted the 28 piece brass band in a rousing programme which included audience participation in wartime songs.
Those who did not attend missed a very good evening's entertainment.

Proceeds go to the ROYAL BRITISH LEGION's Poppy Appeal
which serves the welfare needs of our Armed Forces past and present ensuring that every member of the ex-Service community is able to live happily and independently, with a sustainable future.
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'80th Anniversary of VE-Day'
Thursday 8 May 2025 at the Copythorne Parish Hall
19.30 Open for browsing of static exhibition and refreshments
20.00 Contemporary newsreel film on main screen
20.15 Informal 'Concert' with MC Graham Stenson
20.45 re-run newsreel film
21.00 Assemble near the 'Beacon'
21.30 Lighting of 'Beacon' by three veterans (navy, army, airforce)
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REMEMBRANCE
Sunday 10 November 2024
Deputy Lieutenant leads Parish in Remembering their sacrifice
Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire, The Hon Mrs V Lovell JP DL has written to express her admiration of the many young people who attended the Remembrance Service at Copythorne. She said that it was a privilege to attend once again
On a bright sunny morning an estimated two hundred young people with veterans and members of local organisations led by Stanleys Own Scout and Guide Band led the parade from the parish hall to the war memorial. The Union Flag was taken by the Guides, while the Royal British Legion Standard was carried by Veteran Mark Parry-Norton with escorts. The parade marshal was Veteran Ginge Kinley
Fifty two young people wore named poppies of the young men whose names are on the war memorial and the Copythorne History Society had displayed histories of those men as well as other local servicemen.
The Remembrance Service was conducted by the Rev Neville Jacob with Pastor Su Parsons of Cadnam Methodist Church giving the Bible Reading and young people reading their own prayers and James Read reading a prayer on behalf of the local organisations
The Roll of Honour was read by Ginge Kinley and the Last Post and Reveille was sounded by Jess Blackburn while Veteran Barry Ryder said the Kohima Epitaph. All the flags and standards were lowered during the Two Minutes Silence.
Deputy Lieutenant The Hon Mrs Lovell laid the first wreath on behalf of the Lord Lieutenant and Mr Graham Chilcott, Chairman of the Parish Council laid a wreath on behalf of the parish followed by over 30 wreaths on behalf of national and local organisations
After then Service The Hon Mrs Lovell thanked all the young people in the Scout Headquarters.
The Copythorne and District Royal British Legion wish to thank the Parish Council, the Parish Hall Committee for support and Chief Marshal Martin and his colleagues for safeguarding the parade.
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COPYTHORNE PARISH UNITED IN
80th anniversary of 'D-day' - 6 June 1944
About D-Day
Unprecedented coordination between Allied nations, and the intensive planning of engineers, meteorologists, logisticians and countless more, led to a force from 13 countries approaching Normandy in a 5000-vessel armada.
In the early hours of D-Day, 24,000 paratroopers and glider-borne troops landed behind German lines to provide tactical support. Massive naval and aerial bombardments attempted to supress the German defences and weaponry. Then a ground force of more than 130,000 troops came ashore on five beaches across a 50-mile stretch of Normandy coast, with the first waves often facing intact defences. By the end of D-Day there had been 10,000 allied casualties. Yet this was only the beginning. The ensuing Battle of Normandy was to last into August and cost tens of thousands of lives as it defeated and repulsed the occupying German forces eastwards. It was a decisive success for the Allies and paved the way for the liberation of much of north west Europe.
The Branch Members supported the Copythorne Parish Council and the Copythorne Parish Hall committee on Thursday 6 June 2024
at Copythorne Parish Hall
Millbrook ACF Band
D-Day presentation by Major Jens Gron, RASC
The Beacon was lit by
Brigadier David Harrison JP
at 9.15pm
Hundreds of beacons were lit all over the country to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day
The event was non-fund raising, BUT donations made to five Service charities raised £360. OUR THANKS TO YOU ALL for your support.
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"They shall grow NOT old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
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