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In 1996, the Wivenhoe Scout & Guide Association started
a Young People's Act of Remembrance Service in the Wm Loveless Hall
to coincide with the main service held by the British Legion, the
Town Mayor, Wivenhoe Councillors and others in either St Mary's
Church or the Congregational Church. Any young person in
Wivenhoe is welcome to join in this Young People's service as it is not intended to be
exclusively for people in the Guiding and Scouting movements.
Following the two
services, everyone comes together to stand around the War Memorial
for the reading of the names, the last Post and the
Silence. With around 150 Scouts and Guides present, there are enough people present to completely encircle the War
Memorial. |
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| Also on that day, the Scouts
visit the 12 war graves in Wivenhoe's Old and New cemeteries to
place crosses on the graves there so that these men are not
forgotten.
The Young People's Act of Remembrance encourages young people to
think about the effects on families and tragedy of war.
Here are two examples from 2004 of some poetry written as a way
of expressing themselves and Zach's simple prayer from the 2001
service:
The hatred and bloodshed;
The noise and the guns;
The fear of death
and the fight to win;
The will to survive;
To fight for what's right.
It could be all over in a heart beat;
Life, death - a narrow margin.
by Katherine Bennett
(aged 8) |
I'm watching the stars in the sky.
Thinking how time can fly.
Wondering what tomorrow will bring.
In the distance I hear the children sing.
It slowly fades away.
I don't like today.
I don't like today.
by Z. Wilkins
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Zach’s simple prayer:
‘Banish badness, reclaim goodness’
2001 |
Note: To see larger pictures of these inscriptions
on the War Memorial, click here
Note: The War Memorial was renovated in 2005 - for more details
click here
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Above: A scout places a cross on a war grave
Right: Standard bearers of the
Royal British Legion
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Every year
now people
have been standing around the Wivenhoe War Memorial on Remembrance
Day to acknowledge the deaths of Wivenhoe people in two world wars. 
