Gallipoli - one hundred years on

Today I am privileged to be taking part in an act of remembrance which commemorates the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli - a battle which took some 131,000 lives. It is not a celebration  (strange how people use that word in the context of conflict) but an act of remembrance, of paying our respects to those who have gone before; those who have left the familiar and the loved - in people and places - to take up arms to engage those against whom we might contend.

And the glorious dead? A term that refers to those who are 'in glory' (meaning dead) rather that conferring upon war the label 'glorious' - for war is rarely ever glorious and none but a fool would consider it to be so, or assume that this is what is meant by the term.

After the service: The Gallipoli memorial today

Today, at the National Memorial Arboretum, we will honour two young nations who 'came of age' and in the carnage and the catastrophe that was Gallipoli stood tall and side by side and became equals with the colonial powers that once ruled over them; and beside them the French (who have been at times our natural allies).

And of the 86,000 Turks who died, for although it was a hopeless task, battle was not unanswered by our troops, they who share a common ground with the 45,000 Allied troops (25,000 British, 10,000 Fench, 10,000 Australian and New Zealanders)? Perhaps the words of Ataturk, as found in the memorial at Anzac Cove, answer that more eloquently:

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives…
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours…

You, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace, after having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

We will remember them

Those who died on active service - 2013

Please spare a moment to pray for the families, friends and comrades of those whose names have been added and are today commemorated on the walls of the National Memorial Arboretum's  (NMA) 'Armed Force's Memorial' (AFM).

Having commended them to God's grace, love care and mercy we remember them with pride and, mourning their loss, look to the day when the words of Micah 4,

'God will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore,'

Come to pass.

Those who died on active service* commemorated today are:

ARMY 

Richard Walker 

David Shaw 

Nicholas Guya 

Jamie Webb 

Samuel Flint 

Robert Hetherington 

William Savage 

Lee Rigby 

Edward Maher 

Craig Roberts 

James Dunsby 

Michael Ihemere 

James Brynin 

Ian Fisher 

Richard Holloway 

ROYAL AIR FORCE 

Frances Capps 

Rimon Than

* the names are listed in order of the date that they died.

'The lamps are going out . . .

. . . all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time.'

It is these words, attributed to Sir Edward Grey*, on the eve of the first world war that will be remembered as our nation commemorates the beginning of that war and some 244 weeks of remembrance, reflection and homage.

Please make the time and take the opportunity to visit one of the many 'Lights Out' services that will be happening across this nation of ours on the 4th August 2014.

For those in Tamworth there will be such a service from 10 - 11 pm at St Editha's church in the centre of town.

There is also a service at the National Memorial Arboretum which will run from 8 - 9pm - the climax coming as all lights having been extinguished and the sun sets (20:54) the service ends with the playing of the Last Post.

Please check to see where your 'Lights Out' service will be taking place (and for those who know - post details here as comments.

Thank You

* whose father was the 1st Earl Grey


and yes I will do you one of these with your badge on Nick :-)

Armistice ...

At the National Memorial Arboretum this year saw the Bishop of Wolverhampton and Bishop John Kirkham (and me) up at the Armed Force's Memorial to remember those who have died in the service of this nation of ours and to pray for those who have served, or serve now, and their families.

We also prayed for all victims of conflict across the globe and committed ourselves to strive for peace and mutual support of all people.

Simon Jones made this short film about the work and value of the NMA and thought a bit about the day's happenings:

As Remembrancetide draws to a close ...

I'd like to take the opportunity to say 'Thank You' to all those who have held services, sold poppies, wheeled veterans around the various services of remembrance, made tea, wept with those who mourn and vowed to make the world a better place (in the many acts of commitment).

For those who I spoke to today - proudly wearing their Elizabeth Cross in memory of a life given in service to this nation: Thank You!

For those whom I met with medals proudly pinned to their chests and stories of service (some stretching back to before I was born) - my respect and gratitude are yours (and my prayer is that I might be of service to you in return).

For those who, like us at the National Memorial Arboretum today, braved wind and rain to pay their respects - my respect to you for coming and being part when others might have cried off.

Thank you to the staff, the volunteers and all who helped make today a successful witness of a nation's pride in is servicemen and women.

We have, and will always, remember them

Armistice Day - Please Keep it!

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae, May 1915

What an amazing week that was

Last week was one of those amazing weeks that blesses your socks off yet leaves you wondering where it went (and how come so much is left to do.

Sunday: Ordination of the Revd. David Short at St Alban's Abbey

The sun shone, the choir sang and heaven rejoiced!

Monday: Staff meeting, business meetings, Kid's Club, Home visits and (yeeha) PCC!

4:28 - the quiet before the storm 

Tuesday: Tamworth Street Angels comes into being with various other meetings and engagements on this, a business and paperwork day.

At last - a dream comes true and we're off!

Wednesday: Funeral visits, Bike Ride to the Wall, Chaplaincy work

Standards of the Royal Signals Association as we remember those who have served

Thursday: Early communion service (more chairs needed yet again), drop-in, boat building (see I do take time off), Air Cadets.

Final stage in the lining out complete!

Friday: Dedication of the new names added to the Armed Force's memorial walls - Fifty-two names were added to the wall this year - dona eis requiem.

A salute by the BBMF's Lancaster
We will remember them

Followed by Kid's Club (now that's a sea change :-) )

One of the many blessings that this church gives to the community

Saturday: Provided PA for a church fete and then on to medicals and recruit training before finally ending the day (19:00) with a barbecue (even more time off!)

Of course there's loads of telephone calls, paperwork and ad hoc meetings that act as the filler in the normal daily run but, all in all, an absolutely fantastic and blessed week

And so - on to a great day with early communion, all-age service, Youth Alpha and BCP evensong to challenge, cause to worship and generally bless.

You know? I couldn't pay enough to be a minister and yet I get to do it for free.

How wonderful is that?

Armed Forces Day

As I prepare to set off for the National Memorial Arboretum I thought I'd take a second to remind you that today is Armed Forces Day!

There's a full programme of events at the NMA and I'm sure that, wherever you live, there is an event near to you too.

Please get involved and thank those who have served or continue to serve and spare a moment for those who have left this life through conflict or, having served, old age.

Honour our veterans and give thanks for the freedom we enjoy as a result of the service of others.

At Last: Bevin Boys have Memorial

Today at the National Memorial Arboretum a group of what must be one of the most misunderstood and least honoured heroes our nation has ever produced were remembered. These were the men who were sent down mines to work and produce the coal that fuelled the furnaces of British Industry to maintain the 'war effort' as, in 1943, the nation's coal supplies dwindled to around three week's worth of the stuff.

In response to this Ernest Bevin, the Minister of Labour and National Service, took 10 percent of those called up for military service (18 to 24 year olds) and sent them to work in the mines (regardless of what they'd done in civvy street!). The way they were selected was for someone to pull out a number from 0 to 9 and whichever number was pulled, those whose conscript numbers ended in it were sent down the mines - desperate measures for desperate times indeed!

The sadness was that those who went down the pits were often abused because they 'stayed at home' whilst others went to war. The reality was that whilst war has its moments of danger and times of peril, going down the pit was to enter into a dangerous environment every day regardless. Some of those I have spoken to over the years tell of how some of those who had UK posting, but were in uniform, engaged in fights and claimed that those working in the pits were 'conscientious objectors' or had opted for a cushy life with all the women and civvy life - nothing could be further from the truth.

Others who had seen their sons taken from the mines and sent to war were resentful that 'foreigners' were drafted in when their own could have merely stayed and continued in the bosom of their family and in an industry they knew rather than leave to potentially die on foreign soil.

I met a man who had managed to escape the mines and get himself enlisted into the army where he served with some distinction. Having been awarded a medal for gallantry he found himself brought home to receive medical treatment and then, immediately after his medal ceremony, was arrested and taken back to the mine in handcuffs - where he stayed until the war ended. But it didn't end, for there were no medals for the Bevin Boys and because they hadn't been conscripted into the forces there were no jobs either and some, like the man I met, stayed on in the only job now open to him. That said, apparently the majority legged it as fast as they could once war was ended!

The fact is that there were some 48,000 young men who to the pits and of these the number who died is unknown because there are no records. They were recognised by the nation in 2008 when a commemorative badge was produced by the government and today, we have gone a step further recognising their service to, and for,  our nation.

Remembrance and Welcome

Today is an extremely mixed bag as we remember those who have died in the service of this nation at the National Memorial Arboretum's 'Armed Force's Memorial'. The many names that will be read out, each representing not just a single person but the families, friends and comrades of that person too. So many who have given their life in pursuit of peace and for the protection of others, not just our own citizens, that the world might be just a little bit of a better place.

The Bible tells us that 'Greater love has no man that to lay down his life for a friend. This is indeed true and resides in the 'Selfless Commitment' element of our Values and Standards, the reality of what it means to be in uniform and, of course, in the sacrifice of Jesus, the Christ, for each and every one of us.

As you go through your day today, please take but a moment and pray for those who continue to serve around the world, for those who have served and for those who have died in the service of our nation - and as you do, please pray for peace in our world and that it be seen 'in our time'

We will remember them

Aside from the NMA service, Tamworth also has cause to celebrate as Tamworth Baptist Church inducts its new pastor, Graham Criddle. Also today, Tamworth's Methodists have cause to celebrate too as Tim Flowers becomes Tamworth's new Methodist minister.

A cause for celebration indeed - please pray for Graham and Jo, Tim and Julia, their families and churches as a new phase begins in the life of their churches and in the wider Church family that is Tamworth Covenanting Churches.

Armed Forces' Day meets the Torch

Yesterday was one of the best days I can remember for a very long time as people crowded into the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) to see Johnson Beharry carry the flame to the Armed Forces' Memorial (AFM).

During the proceedings monies raised by those who take part in the Ride to the Wall (RTTW) event were presented to the NMA and as part of an extremely full day we held a service in the grounds to celebrate those who have served, continue to serve and those who have given their lives in the service of our nation (and the world as part of the many peace-keeping forces too).

Here's a couple of different photographs from those that will be found around the internet:

Armed Forces' Day 2012

Today began at the National Memorial Arboretum with Johnson Beharry VC carrying the Olympic torch and will continue with a number of events to celebrate Armed Forces' Day (including a service of celebration and remembrance at 10:30). There are many others events (Birmingham has the torch and a major celebration going on) so why not find out where your local celebration is and go pay it a visit and celebrate those who wear uniforms and work for peace and the protection of this nation and others?

Who knows, might see you at the Arboretum perhaps?

Falklands 30 - A Brave Lady

The service at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) this morning saw Margaret Allen wife of one of the British armed forces (Able Seaman Iain Boldy) who lost their life in the Falklands conflict light a candle to remember those who died in the conflict.

This candle will burn for seventy-four days, the length of the Falklands conflict itself.

Although this was obviously an extremely emotionally challenging thing to do she handled it with dignity and having lit the candle prayed for herself and all those affected by this, and all, conflicts:

We pray for our families and those we love.
Touch them with your love,
guard them with your strength
and surround them with your protection we pray.
Amen.

For those of you who have family members who were involved with the Falklands, or any other of the conflicts, can I recommend a visit to the NMA? A place where the nation truly does remember and a place well worth a visit.

Pax

Falklands 30

Today I have the privilege of conducting a service dedicating and lighting a candle commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the Falklands conflict at the national Memorial Arboretum.

The candle will burn for 74 days - the length of the conflict - and remembers the two hundred and fifty-five men of the British armed forces who gave their lives.

Perhaps those of you who pray might like to pray for the families of the British forces who died and for those who saw action there.

We also need to pray for those on the other side of the conflict, for although opposed to us, they were 'brothers in arms' and as such we remember also the six hundred and forty-nine Argentinians and their families and pray for peace between our nations.

We pray for those who live in the Falklands and remember the three women from the island who died and pray for the whole community and those who serve there.

Today gives many the opportunity for jingoistic outpourings but for those who lost loved ones in this conflict it is surely a time for peace, reconciliation and a turning away from conflict.

In May, the National Memorial Arboretum will be dedicating a Falklands memorial and as the bodies of the fallen lie in San Carlos Bay and others died at sea this memorial will present a place where the names of all those who have fallen will come together (they are of course already on the Armed Forces Memorial).

Please pray for all affected by today.

Pax

Supporting those who have served

There is a fair chance that you, or someone you know, has served in one of the branches of HM Armed Forces. For most of us there is the history of the various conflicts ranging from the second World War that saw members of our family involved. Aside from that there have been numerous situations where our servicemen and women have seen action and been at risk and whilst today we think predominantly of Afghanistan and Iraq these days there are still many who served in Korea, Suez, Palestine, Cyprus, Bosnia and in a number of peacekeeping roles besides.

One of the best kept secrets is that the Royal british Legion (RBL) is not about 'smoke-filled drinking clubs populated by miserable old gits' (a description given to me by a young soldier) but is an organisation that supports and offers support to those who have served and their dependants. They canvas the politicians to act rightly regarding those who have served and those who continue to serve and are a very real source of solutions when problems come.

An example of this being that a while back I met someone who had served in the Navy. Their situation was such that they were strapped for cash and the principal wage-earner (who have never served by the way) was unable to work. When their washing machine went wrong, a tragedy even without the addition of a young child, and they had no means of replacing it, one telephone call to the relevant person (with their service number) meant that they were telephoned, the situation was assessed and a couple of days later they were in receipt of replacement 'white goods'.

Whilst 'Help for Heroes' (H4H) works solely for those who have been damaged through Iraq and Afghan the Legion works for all who have served. H4H and RBL work together, they are not in conflict with each other and each adds to, and supports, the work of the other.

So can I take the liberty of getting you to part with the sixteen pounds that an annual membership costs and join the RBL. If you read this and want to join a local branch, then yippee they need new blood. If you'd like to join but would rather have a national mebership, and if you'd like to support the NMA branch (dedication of the Standard 25th June at the NMA) and be a member of that, even better.

Either way, go to : https://www.secureweb-services.com/rbl/membership.aspx?cfg=mem

OR

Click Here


Advert over

Pax

ps. And don't forget to support H4H too!

BCP, NMA and a sublime experience

As a dog-collar I find myself called upon to perform a number of roles in a number of places and one of those in the top tray has to be that of having the privilege of being the Chaplain to the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffs.

Now for those of you who don't know what this place is, it is home to the 'Armed Forces Memorial' (AFM) a structure which bears witness, and acts as a memorial, to those who have died in the service of this nation of ours since the end of the Second World War. Every year (this year 21st July) the names of those who have fallen in active service are added in a wonderfully moving service.

Last night the Arboretum was privileged to have the chapel resound to the sound of Macclesfield's 'Thomas Cranmer Choir' at a BCP choral evensong with Bishop William Pwaisiho OBE (Hon. Asst Bishop of Chester) as the preacher (the sermon being a blessing in itself).

The Choir gave a superb rendition of Peter Aston's 'So They Gave Their Bodies' as the introit and treated us to two anthems 'The Souls of the Righteous' (S Marchant) and 'Give Us The Wings Of Faith' (E Bullock) to make the evening complete (musically).

For me the having to sing the versicles and responses was nerve-racking (I hate solos!) but was more than compensated for by the liturgy of the 1662 evensong and the opportunity to sing a Psalm (46) and the Mag' and Nunc'. The hymns were the icing on the cake, for who can fail to be blessed by 'Praise to the Lord the Almighty, the King of creation' or moved by 'Eternal Father, strong to save'? We even made a good job of 'I vow to thee my country' with its often challenging vocal range and left at peace following 'Now thank we all our God'. Hallelujah or what?

We will surely be repeating this wonderful service in the chapel and can I say that for those of us who think the 1662 BCP services are dead and worthless, that there is a need to get out more - for when the timing and rhythm is right, this is an invitation to celebrate our tradition and to find a sacred space. For those who think that music and worship is all about composers who are still living, go give it a try, for God is to be found residing in our hymns, anthems and in the heritage that is English Sacred Choral music.

Pax