Festival tribute to heroes of war (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Festival tribute to heroes of war

12:07am Monday 5th November 2007 in

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A veteran who served in Burma as a decoder in the Second World War was assisted in the Parade of Standards by a young lance bombardier at the 61st Festival of Remembrance in Bradford.

Charlotte Lister, 18, of Odsal Detachment, D company, Royal Artillery, carried the Standard for 86-year-old Geoff Wilde, chairman of the Bradford branch of the Burma Star Association, at the annual ceremony in St George's Hall yesterday evening.

The hall was packed with hundreds of people paying tribute to the sacrifices made by those who fought and died in the two World Wars and subsequent conflicts.

More than 125 actors performed upbeat music from the 1930s and 40s, including the Chatanooga Choo Choo, The Sun Has Got His Hat On, Run Rabbit Run and the Dambusters March, to an audience ranging from veterans and former servicemen to young children with their grandparents.

Eight-year-old Olivia Hellas was with her grandparents, Jennifer Lilley and John Lilley, both in their 60s, of Bierley.

Olivia, who lives in Leeds, said: "I like coming to this, and my favourite bit is when they march around with the flags. I think it's important to know about the war because we should be grateful that people fought with their lives for our freedom."

The Reverend Canon Ralph Crowe and Reverend Monsignor Philip Moger conducted the Service of Remembrance.

And during the two minute silence, against the backdrop of a sea of flags, a thousand poppy petals fell from the ceiling onto the silent veterans on the stage below.

This was followed by the haunting sound of the Last Post.

Geoffrey Fox, 83, of the Guiseley branch of the Royal British Legion, was in the audience with fellow veterans who between them were wearing scores of medals.

Ernest Carr, 92, served in Germany and France, D Day veteran Arthur Robertson, 85, served in France and Germany, Henry Edwards, 85, served in West Africa, and Frank Riley, 82, was stationed around England working for the RAF.

Mr Fox, who served in Italy in the Second World War, said: "We come along every year to this and it is important to remember the young men that died.

"But we need to remember those who are injured and those who come back from all wars. It is those who the British Legion helps."

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Robin Owens, also attended the ceremony.

He said he hoped people would continue to support the Festival of Remembrance in future years to ensure that the important and prestigious event continued.

e-mail: ali.davis @bradford.newsquest.co.uk