REMEMBRANCE SERVICES: Honouring the fallen in the Bradford district this weekend

The exhibition, originally shown at Bradford Cathedral in the summer, is organised by Bradford WW1 Group and features information and artwork commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.

The exhibition was at Beckfoot School, Bingley, this week and will be at Skipton Town Hall tomorrow and City Hall on Remembrance Sunday.

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It includes a section on women in the war. The war gave women new opportunities in the workforce; in every area of national life women wore a uniform - as bus conductresses, delivering post or serving as one of the 258,300 women in the Land Army.

By the end of the First World War more than 900,000 women were working in munitions factories, risking their lives and health on behalf of the war effort.

The pre-war-trained nurses of the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Nursing Service (QAIMNS) served in many war zones including France, Belgium, Greece, and Iraq. By the end of the war 10,400 women had served with QAIMNS. Their work in military hospitals and dressing stations near the frontlines resulted in some becoming casualties themselves, and 141 nurses are known to have died.

Women joining the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VADs) were trained by the Red Cross and worked as nurses in the UK from the outbreak of war. After April 1915, as casualties increased and the need for more hospitals grew, VADs also worked in military hospitals on the Western Front. None were free from the dangers of disease or enemy attack.

After the heavy losses on the Somme in the summer of 1916, many men in military administrative posts were transferred to combat roles. Their places were taken by members of Queen Mary's Auxiliary Army Corps. By the end of the war 10,000 officers and 52,000 other ranks had worked in the QMAAC, undertaking office and domestic employment, in bakeries, ordnance, motor transport depots and as gardeners in military cemeteries. In France air raids were a constant threat late in the war - in one raid alone in May 1918 seven women were killed.

Also on display in the Cathedral was an alter cloth made by shellshocked soldiers at the Bradford Khaki Handcrafts Club in 1918. The soldiers had been patients at the Abram Peel Auxiliary War Hospital, which opened in Bradford in July, 1917. The hospital, named after a former Lord Mayor of Bradford who had been a fundraiser for the War Relief Fund, was one of the earliest to recognise the psychological scars of battle.

In Bradford WW1 Group's book Bradford in the Great War, the Surgeon General, in a speech at the opening of the Abram Peel hospital, said: "The horrors of this terrible conflict could not fail to have serious effects on the delicate, intricate and elaborate machines we call men. We now have to deal with something more than shattered limbs; we have shattered nerves, the heart and its co-ordinating powers have lost their harmony of action.

"The same care and provision must be made for these sad maladies that are made for maimed and wounded men".

The Cathedral exhibition was visited by people from as far as America. Running alongside it was an art installation by artist Martin Waters called Fallen, created from thousands of poppies.

This weekend there will be services across the Bradford district as people remember those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars, and other conflicts.

The following services will take place on Remembrance Sunday:

ADDINGHAM

10.30am - Service at St Peter's Church, Church Street, Addingham

11.45am - Parade from St Peter’s Church to the War Memorial, Main Street (by the Memorial Hall)

12noon - Wreath laying ceremony

ALLERTON

3pm - Service at Allerton War Memorial, Lady Hill Park, off Allerton Road

BAILDON

1.15pm - Service and wreath laying ceremony at Tong Park war memorial, Baildon

2pm - Parade assembles at Baildon Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Club, The Shroggs, Moorgate, Baildon

2.10pm - Parade to Westgate Methodist Church for service at 2.30pm

3.30pm - Parade to War Memorial, Browgate, Baildon, for wreath laying ceremony

4pm - Parade disperses

Hot soup will be served at Baildon Soldiers & Sailors Club following the dispersal of the parade.

BINGLEY

10.20am - Parade forms-up outside Bingley Arts Centre

10.30am - March to cenotaph in Myrtle Park

11am - Service and wreath laying ceremony at cenotaph in Myrtle Park

11.45am - After service, the parade re-forms for parade back to Bingley Arts Centre

12pm - Refreshments at Bingley Arts Centre

BOLTON WOODS

2pm – Meet at Bolton Woods Community Centre

2.30pm - Service at Bolton Woods Community Centre

3pm - Wreath laying at the war memorial, Livingstone Road, Bolton Woods

Refreshments follow in the Community Centre

BRADFORD

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Geoff Reid, will attend the service at the cenotaph

10.20am - Meet in the entrance foyer of City Hall

10.40am - The Parade leaves City Hall

11am – Service at the cenotaph

Following the service the Lord Mayor will take the salute at the march past in City Park

BURLEY-IN-WHARFEDALE

10.45am - Service at Methodist Church, High Street, Burley-in-Wharfedale, followed by wreath laying at the War Memorial, (corner of Station Road and Main Street)

CLAYTON

10.30am - Service at the Parish church of St John The Baptist, Clayton Lane, followed by walk to the cenotaph in Victoria Park.

12noon - Act of Remembrance and the laying of wreaths at the cenotaph

CROSSROADS/LEES/BOCKING

10.50am – Service in the Memorial Hall, Jubilee Rooms, Crossroads Park, Crossroads

CULLINGWORTH

10.15am - Service at St John’s Church, (joint Anglican and Methodist Service).

10.50am - Congregation will proceed to the cenotaph, Halifax Road, Cullingworth, for Act of Remembrance and wreath laying ceremony

DENHOLME

10.30am - Guests assemble at Denholme Mechanic’s Institute

10.45am – Parades assemble on Buck Street to walk to the cenotaph

11am - Service and wreath the laying at the cenotaph, Foster Park

ECCLESHILL

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Geoff Reid, will be attending

2.30pm - Parade assembles by the Bowling Green and proceeds through the Recreation Ground to Eccleshill war memorial, Stonehall Road

3pm - Service and the laying of wreaths

GREENGATES

The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Alun Griffiths) will be attending

10am - Service at Greengates Parish Church

10.40am - Parade to cenotaph, Harrogate Road

11am - Wreath laying ceremony

11.10am - Parade back to the church

Refreshments be provided in the Church Hall after the ceremony

GREENWOOD PARK

12noon – Service at Greenwood Park War Memorial, Sandy Lane, Bradford

HARDEN

10.45am - Assemble at the War Memorial Harden village

11am - Wreath laying ceremony at war memorial

11.15am - Family service at St Saviour’s, jointly with the Congregational Church followed by refreshments

HAWORTH

10.45am - Service at St Michael and All Angels’ Church, Main Street, Haworth. Following the service the congregation parade down Main Street to the cenotaph

12noon - Act of Remembrance and wreath laying ceremony at the cenotaph at the bottom of Bridgehouse Lane

ILKLEY

2.15pm - Parade assembles at Whitton Croft Road (behind Town Hall)

2.40pm - Depart for Memorial Gardens

3pm - Service and wreath laying ceremony in the Memorial Gardens, The Grove, Ilkley

KEIGHLEY

9.15am - Civic dignitaries to meet at the Town Hall

9.15am - Parade assembles at Russell Street, Keighley

9. 35am - The parade moves off from Russell Street

9.40am - Civic dignitaries move off from Town Hall and join parade

9.50am - Procession arrives at the church to be met by the clergy

10.00am - Service at Keighley Shared Parish Church

10.40am - Parade to Town Hall Square

11am - Wreath laying ceremony at the cenotaph followed by two minutes’ silence

11.15am - Parade to march off the Square via North Street into Bow Street

Refreshments available at the Drill Hall for ticket holders only

Tea and coffee available for non-ticket holders in the Masonic Lodge on Cooke Street

LOW MOOR/FRIENDS OF HAROLD PARK

1.45pm – Service and wreath laying at the cenotaph, Rose Garden, Harold Park

Refreshments available after the service

MENSTON

10.30am - Services at Menston St. John's Parish Church and the Methodist Chapel

TODAY - 10.45am - Service and wreath laying at the cenotaph

OAKWORTH

10.45am - Service and wreath laying ceremony at the war memorial in Oakworth Park

OXENHOPE

10.45am - Service and wreath laying ceremony in St Mary the Virgin Church

QUEENSBURY

10.30am - Parade assembles at Scout HQ, Albert Crescent

10.45am - Parade moves off

10.55am - Act of Remembrance and wreath laying ceremony at the cenotaph

11.10am - Parade to Holy Trinity Church for a service

12.15am – Following the service the parade will march past the cenotaph for the salute to be taken. Parade back to Scout Headquarters to disperse

SHIPLEY

9.45am - Service at St Paul's Parish Church, followed by parade to the cenotaph in Crowgill Park

10.55am - Act of Remembrance and wreath laying ceremony

Refreshments at Shipley Town Hall following the wreath laying ceremony

SILSDEN

10.30am - Parade assembles at Wesley Place

10.45am - Parade departs for cenotaph

11am - Service and wreath laying ceremony at the cenotaph, Memorial Gardens, Kirkgate

STEETON

10am - Joint Service at St Stephen's Church, St Stephen’s Road

11am - Wreath laying ceremony and two minutes’ silence at Steeton war memorial

THORNTON

10.45am - Assemble at Thornton war memorial (lower end of Thornton Cemetery)

11am - Service and wreath laying ceremony at the war memorial

TONG

10.45am - Assemble at war memorial, (just inside the gates of Tong Cemetery at junction of Tong Street and Toftshaw Lane)

11am - wreath laying ceremony

UNDERCLIFFE

TODAY at 11am - Remembrance Service of the Cross of Sacrifice, Undercliffe Cemetery

WIBSEY

3pm - Act of Remembrance and wreath laying ceremony at Wibsey cenotaph

WILSDEN

10.30am - Assemble at war memorial, Main Street, Wilsden

10.45am - Act of Remembrance and wreath laying ceremony

11am - Two minutes’ silence

Refreshments follow in the village hall

WYKE/LOW MOOR

12.30pm - Short service and wreath laying ceremony at the cenotaph on Cleckheaton Road

Tomorrow a Bradford schoolboy will read to a busy shopping centre his poem paying tribute those who died in the Battle of the Somme.
James Morgan's poem, Forever Nineteen (The Somme) won a competition launched in conjunction with Kirkgate Shopping's long established association with the British Legion. Open to children from the district's theatre, drama and writing groups, it was judged by Bradford writer Jools Denby.
James, 14, (pictured) from Articulate Speech, Drama and Casting, will read his poem in the Kirkgate Centre at 1pm on Saturday.
Joolz Denby said: "James Morgan's poem shows a restraint and maturity that could, in its stark simplicity, cause it to be overlooked - however like all true poetry it evokes a lasting emotional response and resonance. It's quietness is its strength. The poignant thought that a very young person has been affected by the equally young age of the fallen soldier is striking, tragic and memorable.”
Catherine Riley, Kirkgate Centre manager, said: “We were impressed and moved when we read the incredible entries from Bradford’s talented writers. A sincere thank you to all children who entered for putting time and thought into such a poignant and important issue."
Forever Nineteen (The Somme)

I crouch by your gravestone, and I can see,
You joined The Great War when you were only nineteen,
I hope you died well and I hope you died clean,
And not suffered for hours - slow and obscene.
The sorrow, the horrors, the glory, the pain,
The wounding and dying were not done in vain,
And for all you young soldiers, who died on that day,
You're in our hearts forever, for the price that you paid.

Last weekend, respects were paid to Bradford’s war heroes by hundreds of people at the city’s Festival of Remembrance. For the first time in its 70 year history, the event was hosted by Bradford Cathedral instead of St George’s Hall, which is undergoing refurbishment works.

After a welcome from the Dean of Bradford, the Very Reverend Jerry Lepine, and the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Geoff Reid, the City of Bradford Brass band got the evening off to a rousing start. The Very Rev Lepine encouraged those attending to keep up the traditions of St George's Hall and feel free to clap, as the Cathedral was “a joyous place”. The event kept the format from past years, starting with entertainment then an act of remembrance honouring servicemen and women from across the district who gave their lives for their country.

The audience, including a number of veterans, gave warm applause during the concert as Otley-based soprano Claire White-McKay sang Abide With Me accompanied by the City of Bradford Brass Band. The choirs of the Cathedral and of St John’s Church of England also performed, before the poignant Parade of Standards, led by West Yorkshire Deputy Lieutenant Major Stan Hardy.

The Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Rev Toby Howarth, and Father Kieron Walker conducted the Service of Remembrance. A minute’s silence was held during the Last Post and Bradford’s Sea Cadet Unit performed the ceremonial sunset before the service ended with the National Anthem.

Cllr Reid paid tribute to today’s valiant servicemen and women and those who had fallen in past conflicts. “Remembrancetide is always a time when we, as a community, can stop, reflect and remember those brave men and women who sacrificed wellbeing - and in many cases their lives - to uphold the freedom and liberty we hold dear today,” he said.

He talked of 2016 being the Battle of the Somme’s centenary, remembering in particular the young men of the Bradford Pals who found themselves “catapulted” from the city’s street into the horrors of the trenches.