Remembering thefallen one hundredyears on; ArmisticeDay in Hastings

Hastings remembered the fallen last Sunday (November 11) marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the hostilities of the First World War.
Hastings Remembrance Day 2018. Photo by Frank Copper SUS-181211-111953001Hastings Remembrance Day 2018. Photo by Frank Copper SUS-181211-111953001
Hastings Remembrance Day 2018. Photo by Frank Copper SUS-181211-111953001

On Armistice Day, Hastings town crier Jon Bartholomew played the bagpipes at 6am at the War Memorial in Alexandra Park, part of a national programme to mark 100 years of remembrance. The traditional Remembrance Sunday service took place at the war memorial in Alexandra Park, preceded by the civic procession from the town hall. A special commemorative lit lamp was blessed, and displayed at St Clements Church, Hastings Old Town, during the day. The commemorative lamp was used later that evening to light the beacon on the East Hill, followed by a torchlight procession along the seafront to the White Rock Theatre, with the lamp being welcomed during the annual Remembrance service held there. During this service, town crier Jon Bartholomew made a cry for peace around the world (also as part of a national programme). The bells at the Old Town church of All Saint rang out as the East Hill beacon burned.

Mayor of Hastings Nigel Sinden said: “I am so pleased that the town made such an effort to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of hostilities in the First World War. So many people – including many from Hastings – made the ultimate sacrifice in this and other wars, and so many more played a huge part in securing the freedoms we take for granted today. I am very grateful to everyone who helped play their part in the many events over the weekend.

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“I am especially grateful to Hastings Borough Bonfire Society who arranged the beacon lighting, the 100 torches forming a ‘ring of fire’ around the lamp and the beacon on the East Hill; it looked superb on the hill, and so spectacular as the 100 lit torches made their way down off the hill. I thought it was particularly poignant that only a few torches made it still alight to the White Rock theatre, as it brought to mind that so many were lost in that terrible conflict.”