Remembering The Fallen

Armistice Sunday & Remembrance Day Events in Putney & Wandsworth

Men and women who gave their lives in the service of their country will be honoured during a Remembrance Day service at Battersea Park.

The annual act of Remembrance will be held on Tuesday, November 11 at the park's War Memorial, located at the junction of Central Avenue and East Carriage Drive

The service of Remembrance will commence at 10.45am and there will be a two minute silence at 11am to mark the time on November 11, 1918 that the guns fell silent at the end of hostilities in the First World War.

Wreaths will be laid by the Mayor of Wandsworth Cllr John Farebrother as well as representatives of service organisations, other local dignitaries and private mourners. A bugler from the London Regiment will sound Last Post and Reveille and a piper from the regiment will play a Lament as the wreaths are laid.

The park's War Memorial was carved by renowned war artist and sculptor Eric Kennington, who served as a private in the 13th London Regiment in Flanders and France before being wounded and sent home in June 1915. His stone memorial to the 24th Infantry Division was unveiled in Battersea Park in 1924. 

A second Remembrance Day service will also be held at Wandsworth town hall at 11am on Tuesday, November 11.

This will be in the town hall garden fronting Wandsworth High Street where three stone memorial tablets commemorate the sacrifices made by local men and women who have served in the nation's armed forces since 1914.

A tablet was first laid here in 1965 to honour the memory of men of the 13th Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment - the Wandsworth Pals battalion - who answered the call to arms in 1915. Two others – carved from Welsh granite - were added in February this year to honour those who have served in 16 locally-based territorial army units since the onset of the First World War.

There will also be two Armistice Day services in the borough on Sunday, November 9. These will be held at St Mary's Church, Putney Bridge & St Mary’s Church in Battersea Church Road.

Both will involve local dignitaries and ex-servicemen laying wreaths at their war memorials and parades involving veterans and representatives from the Royal British Legion, Burma Star Association, Royal Naval Association, army, air force and sea cadets and the Scout Movement, as well as current servicemen and women.

The services will commence at 10.45am and at 11am a two minute silence will be observed in memory of the fallen.

The Mayor of Wandsworth Cllr John Farebrother will attend the Putney service while Deputy Mayor Cllr Peter Dawson will attend the Battersea service.

October 31, 2008