Public Remembrance Services Return

ON both Armistice Day (11 November 2021) and also on Remembrance Sunday (14 November) the nation again was able to hold full Public Remembrance services. This year we attended both events in Southport and Formby.

Services on Armistice Day (11 November) are held every year in the UK, which includes a 2 minutes silence, held at 11pm GMT. This act of remembrance was started to mark the end of World War One in 1918 when hostilities between Germany and the Allies ceased. In Formby, this service is also used to remember all servicemen and women, lost in any conflicts, both past, and present, from the Village. In Formby, a Service of Remembrance, which was held at the Formby Village War Memorial, and of the international service, held at the war graves, at Our Lady of Compassion Church, Formby, on Armistice Day, 2021. After the Village War Memorial Act of Remembrance, both the Royal British Legion and SAFA, move the proceedings to the graveyard of Our Lady of Compassion Church. Within the hidden graveyard, they then hold a small international service, to honour the fallen Polish Aircrews who died protecting the area in World War 2. In the Roman Catholic Churchyard, are the graves of 6 Polish Airmen, who were part of the 316 Polish fighter squadrons, that were based at RAF Woodvale, from 1944 unto the end of World War 2. More information about the Polish graves can be found on:- PolishWarGraves.NL. It is worth adding that this graveyard also holds the graves of British Serviceman and Women as well. We have video footage of the act of remembrance on our YouTube Channel as you can see on here at the end of the Formby Memorial Service video footage.

Then on Remembrance Sunday, 14 November 2021, as within the rest of the UK, events and services took place to remember all those lost in conflict, protecting our nation. In Sefton, a total of 11 services took place at in:- Aintree, Ainsdale, Crosby, Hightown, Ince Blundell, Litherland, Maghull, Southport and Waterloo. As with previous years most of them in the morning, like the Remembrance Service and Parade in Southport. Highlights of this event are also able to be played on our YouTube Channel. Then in the afternoon, Formby Royal British Legion held a parade and service that was attended by the Mayor of Sefton. You can also see highlights of the parade on our YouTube channel, via the video player on this page.