Beacon lighting at 7pm

Marlborough Remembers – WW1 Ends

Marlborough & District Rotary Club and Marlborough Town Council are playing their part in Battle’s Over, an international commemoration marking 100 years since the guns fell silent at the end of World War I.

At 6.55pm a bugler will sound the Last Post at Marlborough's Battle's Over Ceremony on The Common and with buglers at more than 1,000 other locations, at 7pm a beacon will be lit, in a tribute called Beacons of Light, signifying the light of peace that emerged from the darkness of four years of war. Then at 7.05pm bell ringers at St Mary’s Church will join other churches across the country ringing their bells as part of Ringing Out for Peace and Marlborough's Town Crier, Mike Tupman, with more than 100 other Town Criers up and down the country and around the world, will perform a specially-written Cry for Peace Around The World. Finally, as the bells continue ringing in the background, the names of the fallen from Marlborough will be remembered.

Stewart Dailly, President of the Rotary Club said: “One hundred years ago the lights came on after four long years of darkness. We in Rotary are honoured to be here with Marlborough Town Council to commemorate, with people from around the world, the sacrifices of the brave men and women, especially those from in and around Marlborough, who served their country through those dreadful times.”

Councillor Lisa Farrell, Town Mayor of Marlborough, who will be lighting the beacon, said: “This is a tremendous honour for me and a chance for Marlborough to join with

thousands in an international tribute recognising the sacrifice made by so many and, at the same time, giving us a chance to remember those from our own town. All are heroes.”

Marlborough Rugby Football Club has given enormous support to the event offering up its facilities with Club members helping out too. Redrow Homes, housing developers at the new Salisbury Road site, has named its streets after some of those from Marlborough who served in WW1 and has also made a large contribution towards the cost of the specially made beacon. We are grateful to them and to T H White who will be helping to erect it, and to the other local people and organisations who are making this special commemoration possible.

 The whole community is invited to join in this event, to share in this important National Tribute. The Frees Avenue gate to The Common will be open from 6pm and parking will be available inside. Hot drinks and soup will be on sale. Everyone is encouraged to bring along torches.

The Rotary Club will be raising funds for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) and the Royal British Legion (RBL).

For more information, please contact:

Gerry Hooper, Marlborough & District Rotary Club

Tel – 01264 850298 Email – gshooper@btinternet.com

https://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/homepage.php?ClubID=612

or

Shelley Parker, Town Clerk, Marlborough Town Council, 5, High Street, Marlborough, SN8 1AA

Tel – 01672 512487   Email - townclerk@marlborough-tc.gov.uk

www.marlborough-tc.gov.uk