WITH regard to recent letters
to this newspaper
about the centenary of the
First World War, I believe
it is time to step back from
the negativity which is
beginning to shroud the
event and the lack of
planned commemorations
in Andover and, in the few
weeks that remain before
the anniversary, for the
whole town to pull together
to plan and implement
an event to remember the
conflict and the sacrifices
made by the men of the
borough.
 

I believe that Sunday, 3
August could be used as a
day to commemorate the
100th anniversary of the
beginning of the war in the
town.
 

Perhaps the church service
at St Mary’s that morning
could be dedicated to the conflict,
and children from the
town’s schools could be invited
to attend?
 

The service could be followed
by a parade around the
town, with the Royal British
Legion, military veterans,
currently serving service
personnel from local units, a
marching band of some
description and uniformed
youth organisations all taking
part.
 

Most importantly, the
march could involve the local
schoolchildren, representatives
of which (in their
respective uniforms) could
carry poppy crosses, each
containing the name of one
of the men remembered on
the war memorial.
 

The parade could end at the
Cenotaph, where there could
be a short service, the last
post and two minutes silence
etc, maybe even a fly-past by
the Army Air Corps, before
the ‘Roll of the Dead’ is read
out and the schoolchildren
each plant their respective
poppy crosses in the memorial
garden as the individual
names are read out.
These are just ideas as a
starting point, I’m sure others
would have ideas for the
day too?
 

I know that there is now
only seven weeks to go, but
surely it is not beyond us to
establish a working group
from the councils, the
church, the RBL, etc, to make
this happen?
 

Craig Fisher, Berry Way,
Andover