Remembrance events in the Midhurst and Petworth area

Silent silhouettes have appeared not only in Petworth and Midhurst but in many villages along with the ‘There but not There’ figures in churches to reflect those who left their communities and never returned.

At 11am on November 11 1918 the guns fell silent at the signing of the Armistice and the warring nations were left to mourn the scale of their loss.

Those who gave their lives for their country will be remembered exactly 100 years later at war memorials across the country.

At Midhurst there will be a short service and wreath laying as usual at the war memorial with a two minute silence at 11am followed by the service inside the church.

There will be a beacon lighting on land next to the Cowdray polo lawns jointly organised by Easebourne Parish Council and Midhurst Town Council with a short programme of events from 6.45pm.

The beacon will be lit at 7pm with the reading of the names of the fallen, Last Post, Reveille and singing by Midhurst Community Choir.

The Rev David Coote will lead a service in Midhurst Methodist Church at 10am and has asked all those attending to bring first world war memorabilia to display at the end of the service.

Church members are inviting anyone who would like to attend to join the congregation and share their own family history with church members at the end of the service.

At Petworth there will be an Act of Remembrance at the war memorial in front of St Mary’s Church at 10.45am. After the laying of the wreaths there will be the traditional silence before the service continues in the church at 11.15am.

Petworth Town Band will lead a parade from the Royal British Legion Club in Grove Street to Rosemary Gardens starting at 5.45pm. Everyone is invited to listen to music and singing in Rosemary Gardens and see the beacon lit by Lord Egremont at 7pm.

Town crier Nigel Flynn will read a special piece at 7.05pm while the church bells ring out for Peace. Throughout the evening there will be free soup and bread and an outside bar run and supplied by The Royal British Legion Club in Petworth.