ACTS OF REMEMBRANCE 2018

As they do each year, the British community in Spain marked "Remembrancetide" in many ways, often with a Church Service on or near to Remembrance Sunday.  This year, Remembrance Sunday fell on Sunday 11th November 2018, exactly 100 years after the guns fell silent on the Western Front, marking the end of World War One. 

The period of Remembrance within District North Spain began with a Poppy Appeal Launch to be held in Benidorm on Friday, 19th October, details of which can be found at this link.

If you want to read more about the history behind some of the more familiar and poignant symbols used in Remembrance, you can do so here.

Photographs of some of those Acts of Remembrance are posted below...

Hondón Valley Branch

The Hondón Valley Branch Remembrance Service took place in the Catholic Church in the village of Hondón de los Frailes last Saturday. The beautiful Church was full – with standing room only. Father Don Witts officiated and welcomed Elizabeth Bell MBE, Vice Consul from the British Consulate in Alicante and the congregation to this special service of Remembrance and Commemoration of 100 years since the end of the Great War. Victor Ramirez Segura, the local European Councillor, read the Lesson in Spanish. Also taking part was the Spanish choir – Corro-Parroquial Inglesia San-Pedro Apostol de La Romana. They had written a hymn especially for the Branch – We will Remember Them- and performed it during the Service.

To commemorate the centenary, Branch members read extracts from "Forgotten Voices of the Great War" covering each of the four years until the time the Armistice was announced. These were very emotional and often harrowing accounts of life in the trenches at that time. (These readings will be displayed on the Branch website)

At the end of the Service, Father Witts blessed the Branch Standard – recognising the new Ypres Scroll following attendance at the Great Pilgrimage 90 in Belgium in August this year. Hondón Valley Branch was one of only two Branches from the whole of Spain who attended this event and Branch members are very proud that their Standard was one of over one thousand Standards from all over the world.

The Branch Standard and National Flags, together with Piper, Tony Dolphin then led the parade from the Church to the Ayuntamiento garden where wreaths and Memorial crosses were laid.

Javea Branch

 A moving Act of Remembrance was held in the Fishermen's Church in Javea Port on Sunday 11th November.  The church was full to capacity as Father Marcus Ronchetti led the congregation in remembering those who gave their lives in the First World War and since.  Members of The Royal British Legion, The Royal Naval Association, the Royal Air Force association and the Aircrew Association and members of the public all took part.    As part of the ceremony, Standards were paraded into the church, the Act of Remembrance was marked by the sounding of the Last Post, a silence and Reveille before wreaths were laid in honour of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Val d'Albaida Branch

The Remembrance Service in Albaida, led by the Branch Chaplain, was attended by 57 Branch Members and was followed by a lunch.