13 things to expect from Sunderland’s Remembrance events in numbers

Picture by Hannah McKay PA Wire/PA Images.
Picture by Hannah McKay PA Wire/PA Images.

This Sunday (November 13) Sunderland, the region and the country will pay their respects at the annual Remembrance parade and service, as well as other events. But what can we expect, in numbers, from the city’s tribute events?

One city mayor – The mayor for the city of Sunderland, Councillor Alan Emerson, will be at the event this Sunday.

The city’s remembrance parade and service is one of the largest tribute events in the country.

Two veterans speaking – Veteran George Waller who served in the RAF in the Second World War will recite the first four verses of the famous war poem ‘For the Fallen’ before the two minute silence.

Veteran Len Gibson, a member of 125 Anti Tank Regiment Royal Artillery, who was a prisoner of war on the notorious ‘Death Railway’ in Burma, will recite the Far Eastern Prisoner of War Prayer before the wreath laying.

A two minute silence will also be observed during the service and on Armistice Day on Friday, November 11.

Three military regiments will take part in the parade. The 4th Regiment Royal Artillery (Sunderland’s adopted regiment), 21 Engineer Regiment and the 5 Armoured Medical Regiment will parade at the service, alongside other units including The Light Dragoons, RAF Boulmer and 3 Rifles.

The fourth Regiment Royal Artillery, which exercised its freedom of the city in July, is providing the largest contingent in the parade this year.

It is also providing two field guns which will be fired from the terrace in Mowbray Park to signal the start of the two minute silence at 11am.

Regimental Sergeant Major WOI Sean Armstrong is co-ordinating the parade.

The salute will be taken by Lieutenant Colonel Rob Alston MBE RA, Deputy Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, Colonel Ann Clouston, OBE, ARRC, TD DL and the Mayor of Sunderland, Cllr Alan Emerson from the steps of the Museum in Borough Road.

The parade will end in a march past of veterans and serving members of Her Majesty’s Forces.

You can also expect the Band of the Royal Corps of Signals and the Bearpark and Esh Colliery Band to play.

It will soon be five years since British forces left Iraq after the war. Councillor Alan Emerson said: “It is equally important that we use this occasion to honour the servicemen and women of today and let them know how much we value what they do and appreciate the sacrifices they make on our behalf.

“The sad loss of those young men from this city who have lost their lives in recent conflicts will be especially close to our hearts as we remember all those who have paid the ultimate price.”

There are six parts to the poppy – the leaf, the two parts of the flower, the stem, the black button-like middle and the pin that comes with it.

A number of remembrance events take place in the seven days leading up to Remembrance Sunday, including an entire weekend of remembrance in the city of Sunderland.

The city observes Armistice Day, which falls on Friday, November 11 this year, as well as having a Remembrance concert and a Remembrance parade.

Nineteen-eighteen was the year in which John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields inspired an American academic, Moina Michael, to make and sell red silk poppies which were brought to England by a French woman, Anna Guérin.

Since then people wear poppies at remembrance events like the one in Sunderland, as well as during the lead up to the remembrance events.

Nine o’clock is when a limited amount of seating in the tiered seating area becomes available for the Sunderland remembrance parade.

Access to the disabled platform is available from the same time.

Parking in the Civic Centre car will be available free of charge.

Road closures are in place from 9.30 am – with access to Civic Car Park from Park Lane only after this point.

It’s Ten decades since the Battle of the Somme.

It’s also nearly ten decades since the First World War ended. The war ended in 1918.

Members of the public are welcome to attend. Anyone thinking of coming along is advised to dress warmly and be in place at the war memorial by 10.15 am.

Eleven o’clock is when the two minutes silence will be observed at the parade.

A remembrance concert takes place on Saturday, November 12.

Doors open for the concert at 6.30pm with the concert beginning at 7pm and ending around 9.15pm

Tickets for the annual Concert of Remembrance at the Seaburn Centre, in the city,  are now on sale priced £6.

They can be bought online here.

Tickets are also available at the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens and the Customer Service Centre on Fawcett Street.

A final reminder the remembrance parade takes place this Sunday, November 13.

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