Mayor pays tribute to 'sacrifices of others in the defence of our country'
In the year that marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, Tonbridge & Malling we will honour those who lost their lives during the two World Wars and other conflicts, in a number of remembrance events across the borough.
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling will join other dignitaries, clergy and community groups at key commemorations on Sunday November 10 and Monday November 11. Other smaller services, organised by local parish councils, will also take place at war memorials in villages across the borough, serving as a poignant reminder of the bravery and selflessness of our armed forces.
On Armistice Day, (Monday November 11) in Tonbridge town centre there will be a two-minute silence, starting and ending with the firing of maroons at 11am and 11.02am followed by a short service at the Town Memorial, by the Watergate. The ceremony will be attended by Deputy Lieutenant, Mrs Louise Bryant JP, the Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling, Cllr Steve Hammond and Tom Tugendhat MBE, MP for Tonbridge and Malling.
Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling, Cllr Steve Hammond said: "It is a great honour to be able to take part in these commemorations as Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling. It’s particularly poignant for me as a former member of the Welsh Guards who has lost friends and struggled with lifelong injuries following my deployment to the Falklands. It is vital that we continue to remember the sacrifices of others in the defence of our country and support those who still carry the mental and physical wounds. I hope the people of Tonbridge and Malling will stand alongside me to paying tribute to them.”
Other key commemorative parades and services will take place around the borough on Sunday November 10, including:
Tonbridge 10.30am: Tonbridge Remembrance Day and Service will begin with the traditional parade leaving Tonbridge Castle at 10.30am. It will process down Bank Street, onto the High Street, and into Bradford Street before gathering for the service and commemoration at the memorial gardens. The Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling, Cllr Steve Hammond, and other dignitaries will lay wreaths, followed by two minutes silence and the sounding of The Last Post.
- King’s Hill 10am: Parish Council’s Remembrance Parade and Service, King’s Hill Community Centre, 70 Gibson Drive, at 10am. The Deputy Mayor, Cllr Chris Brown, will lay a wreath and give a reading during the service of commemoration.
- West Malling 2pm: West Malling Parish Council’s Remembrance Sunday Parade and Service will begin at the Saluting Base in the High Street where the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Chris Brown, will take the salute. This will be followed by a service of remembrance in St Mary’s Church and a short wreath laying ceremony at the War Memorial.
- Snodland 2.30pm: Snodland Town Council Remembrance Day Parade starts from Holmesdale School and processes to Snodland Cemetery, where the service takes place. Former Mayor, Cllr Sue Bell will attend and lay a wreath on behalf of the Mayor and Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council.
Members of the public are welcome to attend any of these services and may also lay wreaths during the ceremonies at the war memorials.