Remembrance Sunday 2024
13th of December, 2024
November is a time when we remember those who died in many conflicts since the First World War.
Whalley Parish Council arranged for Poppy motifs to be placed on lamp-posts in the village as a reminder.
In the first World War, Calderstones Hospital became Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, and many wounded soldiers were treated there. Sadly, some never recovered from their injuries. On Mitton Road beyond the Calderstones Hospital Cemetery there is a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery where those soldiers rest.
Every year the Royal British Legion marks Remembrance Day with a Parade in the hospital grounds and a Service of Remembrance at the Cemetery. IN 2024 this Act of Remembrance was held on Saturday 2nd November. Representing Whalley Parish Council, Chairman Martin Highton and Vice-Chairman John Threlfall attended the ceremonies. Wreaths were laid including by Councillor Highton on behalf of the Parish Council.
This year in addition, a small Act of Remembrance was held for a group of children known as the Booth Hall babies who in September 1939 had been evacuated from Booth Hall Children’s Hospital in Manchester. A number of these very sick children died at Calderstones and thirteen are buried in the Calderstones Cemetery.
Remembrance Sunday was marked on Sunday 10th November. Following a service at the Church of St Mary and All Saints in Whalley, there was a procession to the War Memorial including civic leaders and uniformed groups and many other people where a Service of Remembrance took place. The service was led by Reverend Jonathan Carmyllie and Father David Yates. Local Young people read a roll-call of the local fallen. A bugler sounded the last post. Many hundreds of people joined in and for safety reasons, traffic was held back for the duration of the ceremony.