Whilst world leaders and the few remaining fit veterans, the real VIPs, were commemorating on Gold Beach, Normandy we, in our subdued way, remembered in our chapel the start of the battles which liberated continental Europe 80 years ago. The veterans were sombre as they recalled the friends and comrades they lost that day. We were sombre in the short service as we thought about the 19-year-old John Batty from our village who was killed 11 days after the start of the invasion. Then we trooped to the Village Hall for the lighting of our modest beacon with grand words from Parish Council Chairman, Andy Levis, to coincide with thousands of beacons lit at exactly 21.15 before repairing to the bar.
Well done Bill Pilkington for oraganising the event, Ron Taylor and Mick Shaw for arranging our beacon and Katy Hatton for standing by as first-aider in case the beacon got out of control.
I should add our collected thanks to Rev. Alan Bradley who led the service in the chapel with uplifting words and the hymns with robust gusto.