Heywood Remembrance Service for the Battle of Passchendaele

Heywood Remembrance Service for the Battle of Passchendaele

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The Mayor of Rochdale, Ian Duckworth, lead the Heywood Remembrance Service for the Battle of Passchendaele, on Sunday 30 July at Heywood Memorial Gardens.

The remembrance service was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele and was attended by Liz McInnes MP, Leader of the council Richard Farnell, local councillors, veterans, and presided over by Rev Maureen Thorp.

Middleton 1st Scouts were on paraded with their standards and Jake Gillibrand, from the scouts read the prayer.

Mayor Ian Duckworth said: “Whilst on holiday in France recently we went to Ypres, where we have fields of crops, they have fields and fields of white crosses.

“Thousands, upon thousands of them.

“Many of the men who were lost, 34,000 of them, in the fields in France have no grave, as they were never found in the mud of the battlefields.

“We are here today to remember all those who have died.”

Councillor Peter Rush said: “It’s my duty today to remember those who died in the battle of Passchendaele.

“We recall with pride the professionalism, determination and dedication of the British soldiers.

“Today is about remembering the sacrifices made by those who served at the battle of Passchendaele and the small part we played as a community.

“Because of this we have the freedom to stand here today.”

A minutes silence was observed followed by the laying of wreaths.