Remembrance Sunday was commemorated in Stamford and Peterborough yesterday with parades from RAF Wittering personnel forming integral parts of the events in the town and the city.
Group Captain Jo Lincoln placed her first Remembrance Sunday wreath as Station Commander at Stamford’s war memorial, just outside the historic Browne’s Hospital.
She said: “It was wonderful to see so many of the people of Stamford taking part in the Act of Remembrance. It is great to know that there is such strong support in our closest town. On Remembrance Day we take time to think of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country.”
In Peterborough, Bridge Street was filled with hundreds of citizens who came to witness the city’s tribute to those who had laid down their lives. Wing Commander Nick Maxey, Officer Commanding Operations Wing, was the official Royal Air Force representative.
He said: “It was a heart-warming sight to see the number of people who had come out to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives. Every section of our community was represented and overall Remembrance Sunday is a humbling experience.”
Earlier in the day Wing Commander Maxey had also laid a wreath and joined the service at St Peter’s church in the Cambridgeshire village of Maxey. It is likely that this is where his family originated in the distant past.
Wing Commander Gordon Pell, Officer Commanding the Southern University Air Squadrons, laid a wreath at the village of Wittering, which sits next to the Station. Flight Lieutenant Louise Blakemore represented RAF Wittering at services in the villages of Warmington and Tansor, and at the memorial of the former USAF Station in Polebrook near Oundle.
The Act of Remembrance not only honours those who have laid down their lives in the two World Wars, but also those who have died in other conflicts. It enables service personnel and civilians to pay their respects to veterans and keeps their service and sacrifice in the minds of younger generations.
Group Captain Lincoln concluded: “Remembrance Sunday is marked as a solemn and respectful occasion. We are calling to mind the sacrifices made by people like us who wanted to ensure the freedom of future generations. We are truly grateful for the outstanding loyalty shown to us by the communities of Stamford, Peterborough, Oakham, Wittering and so many other places.”