Page 30 - QARANC Vol 16 No 1 2018

28 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Remembrance
Welsh Branch
Due to the wide geographical area covered by the Welsh Branch, as usual, Remembrance Day was commemorated in various community locations. Some of us attended St John the Baptist Church, which is a lovely old church in Cardiff centre, with a very friendly congregation. As last year we were included in the Act of Remembrance and made especially welcome by the organist who included our Corps march and hymn in his repertoire. Afterwards we joined the church members for coffee and cake.
Lt Col Caroline Whittaker joined members of 203 (Welsh) Field Hospital to join in the Act of Remembrance in Llandaff Cathedral. We all came together later for a very nice curry lunch hosted by 203 Field Hospital.
Jacqui Wilding, Valmai Davies and Chrissie Owens attended and laid wreaths at the War Memorial in their own small market town of Talgarth.
Once again I had the privilege of carrying the Welsh Branch Association standard at the annual Remembrance Concert in St David’s Hall, Cardiff. This is always a memorable occasion with various bands and artists performing during the first half, followed by the Act of Remembrance during the second half. I was very proud to be standing amongst all the other standard bearers, the moment being made even more
poignant when the poppies fluttered from the ceiling.
I was also asked to join a small gathering of five standard bearers to carry our branch standard at the Blaenavon concert. This was a little more unnerving as I was not able to blend in as easily as with many on stage at the bigger concert; more so when I realised that I had to dip the standard twice!
Rosy Hubbard Secretary, Welsh Branch
Talgarth Town
The town came together on Remembrance Sunday to commemorate and acknowledge the sacrifice and deaths of those in the two world wars and conflicts since. With a service in St Gwendoline’s Church, the congregation watched as two children from Ysgol Y Mynydd Du laid wreaths in the church on behalf of the school. Members of the Town Council were present at the church and after the service the congregation was led by members of the Hay Army Cadet Force through the town to the cenotaph. The ceremony and wreath laying were led by Mayor Jacquie Wilding on behalf of Talgarth Town Council.
Rosy Hubbard, secretary of the Welsh Branch carrying the Welsh Branch standard at the annual Remembrance concert in Cardiff
Wreaths were also laid by Mrs Jean Johnson on behalf of Talgarth Women’s Institute, Mr Bryan Davies, Watch Manager of Talgarth Fire Station, Hay-on-Wye Army Cadet Force, and a wreath from the QARANC Association laid by Maj Chrissie Owens.
Remembering Passchendaele
In July 2017, I was honoured to be asked to read a passage written by Sister Jean Calder as part of the on-going National Commemorations for the Centenary of the First World War and The Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele as it is commonly known).
The British military readers (myself and five soldiers gathered from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Royal Regiment of Scotland) met initially in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) to receive coaching on public speaking. With the help of our coach Charlie, we deliberated the tone and emphasis of every word in our readings, to ensure that the words came to life and were read with real feeling and emotion in an effort to capture the mood of the writer. Not one of us wanted to do them a disservice by reading these important stories in a monotone drone. Armed with notes and ‘work-on’ points we finished our intensive day in London full of nerves for the task ahead but also with pride in being
able to honour the memory of the soldiers of the Great War. A couple of weeks later we all travelled to Ypres to start the proper rehearsals in earnest. I have been fortunate enough to travel to Ypres several times in my career, initially as a Phase 1 recruit and then latterly as a Platoon Commander; it really is a beautiful city and it is difficult to comprehend that it was all destroyed during the war. The city was awash with BBC film crew, volunteers and tourists as well as serving military and veterans and descendants of those who fought from many nations. Everyone gathered in the local bars and cafes around the market square and spoke of the centenary commemorations and about their personal pilgrimages to
honour fallen distant relatives.
The commemorations commenced on Sunday evening
with the Menin Gate ceremony followed by a live performance telling the story of Passchendaele. The BBC had spent months planning the son et lumiere light projections to be