Following Sunday’s Remembrance Sunday events in Romsey Parliament held a debate the next sitting day on Remembrance and the contribution of the armed forces. I was privileged to be in the Chair to listen to the contributions of members, recounting the various church services and acts of Remembrance that had taken place in their constituency.
I always reflect the Romsey is very blessed to have such an active civic community, with the Abbey right at its heart. We should remember that the Abbey is our building, bought by the people of Romsey for £100 during the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. Quite apart from the fact there is nowhere else in the Town of that size, it is also a very beautiful and welcoming place.
This year we once again had a vast number of people attending the Abbey, the War Memorial Park, the Market Place and the British Legion for Remembrance in our Town. I have noticed since the centenary of the First World War how the numbers have grown, and they are people of all ages. From the Squirrels to the Veterans of the RBL, all were included. My thanks go to all those involved in the organisation of what is an incredible logistical feat, especially the RBL, who work so hard all year round to support veterans.
Some colleagues referenced the growing number of attendees and participants they are witnessing in their constituencies and it is so important we continue to remember the sacrifices so many made and reflect on the part they played in our history.
I also attended the event at Upper Clatford Church this weekend, where there was a wonderful display of the part village residents had played in the First and Second World Wars. There had been a phenomenal amount of research go into discovering the individual stories, and there were very moving accounts of the experiences of the children of the village, growing up not knowing their fathers and missing out on much of their education. The floral tributes were absolutely stunning, and I was amazed by the number of immaculately kept uniforms and artifacts that had been preserved.