Remembrance Sunday: Yapton honours the soldiers of World War One

Yapton has remembered the fallen soldiers of the First World War.
Piper Andrew McNie at the Yapton Remembrance Sunday commemorationsPiper Andrew McNie at the Yapton Remembrance Sunday commemorations
Piper Andrew McNie at the Yapton Remembrance Sunday commemorations

On Sunday, November 11, 2018, a day when the weather threatened to do its worst, the villagers of Yapton turned out in force to remember those who had given their lives for their country.

Although the focus of the ceremony was on the cessation of fighting in the Great War, those that fell in World War Two were also remembered.

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The Yapton Remembrance Sunday commemorations. Picture: Allen MisselbrookThe Yapton Remembrance Sunday commemorations. Picture: Allen Misselbrook
The Yapton Remembrance Sunday commemorations. Picture: Allen Misselbrook
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Arundel Remembrance Sunday commemorations: 'a truly special day'Remembrance Sunday: Centenary stone unveiled at Littlehampton housing developmentRemembrance Sunday: huge crowds in Littlehampton honour soldiers on Armistice centenaryA service of remembrance was held in St Mary the Virgin, parish church of Yapton, after which was a procession from the church to the Village Hall led by a piper, Andrew McNie.

Following the piper was a choir consisting of pupils from Yapton C of E School followed by the vicar Rev. Richard Hayes and the rest of the congregation.

On reaching the hall the procession from the church gathered around the wall mounted plaque which bore the names of all the those from the village that had fallen in the two world wars.

The numbers of the gathering swelled to several hundred by villagers, Yapton Guides and Scouts as well as descendants of some of those being remembered.

Jim Payne, vice chairman of the local history group, at the Yapton Remembrance Sunday commemorations. Picture: Allen MisselbrookJim Payne, vice chairman of the local history group, at the Yapton Remembrance Sunday commemorations. Picture: Allen Misselbrook
Jim Payne, vice chairman of the local history group, at the Yapton Remembrance Sunday commemorations. Picture: Allen Misselbrook
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The mood was set by the young children from the school singing a selection of WW1 songs.

Jim Payne, Vice Chairman of the local history group, addressed the assembly, with an emotional account of the reason why we were commemorating the events of that day exactly 100 years ago.

Included in his talk were poignant quotations from letters written at the time. He concluded by reading out the names and the home addresses of all those that had failed to return.

As the names of those from the Great War were read out, remembrance crosses, complete with each name and the date that they were killed, were placed in a prepared frame by pupils from Yapton School.

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The names of those villagers killed in WW2, including civilians were also mentioned.

Accompanied by the piper playing When the Battle's O'er, wreaths were laid on behalf of the villagers of Yapton, the Parish Council, the Guides and Scouts and by some of the descendants. There then followed a minute’s silence.

A poem written by the piper’s grandfather in memory of his brother, Lance Cpl. JC McNie, who was killed in action on the 1st August 1918 was recited. The ceremony was brought to a close by the school children singing a very moving tribute called We Remember to all those that had lost their lives.

Following the proceedings, the Yapton Free Church very generously invited everyone into the village hall for refreshments.