Milnrow Band at Remembrance Sunday

Milnrow Band at Milnrow Remembrance Parade

It was fine weather as Milnrow Band assembled outside its headquarters in Harmony Street on Sunday 9 November.

At 10.25am the band struck up its signature march tune 'Army of the Nile' and followed by a contingent of band officials, local club officials and members of various village youth organisations - marched majestically to the official starting point outside the former council offices.

It was here that an appreciative crowd joined the parade in a short walk to Milnrow Memorial Park for the Service of Remembrance, accompanied by councillors, former councillors and local church representatives.

The service was conducted by Reverend Brian Hartley and a record gathering of several hundred people of all ages observed the two minutes silence, with the Last Post and Reveille being performed by a member Milrow Band’s cornet section.

Accompanied by the band, those present joined in singing the well known hymns 'O God our Help in Ages Past', 'Eternal Father' and 'Love Divine All Loves Excelling'.

Prayers were said, ending with the Lord’s Prayer.

Representatives of local organisations were invited to lay their wreaths at the Cenotaph, under the watchful gaze of the lone bronze soldier figure, commemorating the loss of a whole generation of British and Commonwealth youth.

The service concluded with the singing of the National Anthem and the final blessing.

As the parade reassembled and returned through the village, it was in the knowledge that once again the locals had shown the greatest respect to the memory of "those who shall not grow old as we who are left grow old", especially on this, the 100 year anniversary of the start of the 1914 conflict.