REMEMBRANCE DAY
T
his year due to Covid19 our Remembrance commemorations were different to any previous years. For the safety of all, and in order to combat the spread of the pandemic, reluctantly, it was decided to cancel the usual Lord Mayor’s Parade and service. On Wednesday 4th November due to the lockdown restrictions set to come into force on 5th November, David Wilson, Chairman of the Stewards Committee, laid a wreath on behalf of the Freemen of Newcastle at the Response War Memorial (also known as the Renwick Memorial) in the gardens at Newcastle Civic Centre. The decision to lay the wreath at the Response Memorial rather than the customary location at Old Eldon Square was taken after speaking to Stewards Committee member, Keith Hall, who had represented the Parachute Regiment as they laid their wreath at St Georges monument at Old Eldon Square on Tuesday 3rd November, Keith had advised that the Eldon Square monument had not been prepared in readiness for wreaths.
The Response sculpture was designed by Sir W. Goscombe John and unveiled by the Prince of Wales on 5th July 1923. It depicts the Territorial Army “Pals” of the Northumberland Fusiliers marching off to the First World War. The memorial was a gift to the city commissioned by Sir George Renwick and Lady Renwick. The sculpture is Grade 1 listed. On Remembrance Day we pause and reflect, it is a time when we pay tribute to our service men and women, in particular the Freemen who have served in our forces and those who continue to do so. We must never take their sacrifice for granted. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month we will remember them.
Lest we forget.
Freemen Magazine
29
