WWI Commemoration in Stafford

Stafford Borough Council said -

Communities across Stafford Borough will be holding services on Remembrance Sunday, 11 November 2018, marking 100 years since the end of the First World War. In Stafford Town Centre there will be an open air service in Market Square commencing at 10.15am followed by wreath laying at the Borough and County War Memorials, then a parade through the Town Centre.

https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/event...s-end-first-world-war-sunday-11-november-2018

I wonder if they really meant Victoria Square?

I'm confused, the remembrance service has always been held at the borough memorial and the set up of the day has never altered in all the years that I've attended.

The podium in market square is for the parade which follows the service at the Borough memorial.

Have people been confused by some poor communication by the council or have they never attended a remembrance parade in
Stafford before?

I'm always extremely proud by the turn out in Stafford, it's fantastic. However I always feel it's a shame that the service is NOT held in a location which would allow more people to observe it. The space around the Borough memorial is not big enough to accommodate all the people that want to watch the service.

I'd personally love to see the cenotaph moved to market square, however that will never happen.

I've been very fortunate / proud that as a former member of the armed services I have marched in a number of different towns & countries and I've always been extremely impressed by the effort of the local councils to put on a fantastic event. I'm afraid sbc always succeed to disappoint and today was no different. 100 year anniversary and yet no extra special effort was made to honour the occasion. Just the same old routine repeated from the year before.

I know I'm foolish to expect too much from sbc, but I'm afraid I always live in hope that they may break the norm and do something well.

Special mention to the bird in hand and Marstons brewery (the bear). The bih were fantastic today and the bear gave all serving members or former serving members a free beer. A lovely beer, decent food and excellent customer service.

To avoid suffering the Sentinel website -

Council bosses have apologised for a Remembrance Sunday blunder - after hundreds of people went to the wrong location to pay their respects on Armistice Day.

Stafford Borough Council advertised an open-air service at Stafford's Market Square as part of commemorations to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War.
And it is claimed hundreds of people gathered in Market Square from 10am yesterday ahead of the advertised open-air service at 10.15am.

But the open-air service was actually being staged in nearby Victoria Square at the borough war memorial. This ceremony attracted thousands of people.

John Morris has already complained to the council after falling victim to the authority's blunder.

He said: “What a cock up. The council's website said there was an open-air service from 10.15am in Market Square and hundreds of people were gathered from 10am. The only event in Market Square was the march-past much later. Can someone explain why the website was so wrong?”

Opposition Labour councillor Rowan Draper has also contacted the council over the issue.

He said: “I’m disappointed to hear that members of the public weren’t able to commemorate Remembrance. However I think it was a fantastic turnout and shows what people in Stafford town and borough feel about the sacrifice and contribution members of the Armed Forces have made.”

The council has said sorry for the mix-up - and pledged to reply personally to anyone who has emailed them about the issue.

The council’s statement says: “We are extremely sorry that the wrong information for the Remembrance Day service was listed on the calendar of our website.

“The service at the borough war memorial was one of the busiest anyone can remember and I hope this error has not taken away from what was a respectful and moving tribute to those who served our country in conflicts across the globe.

“The crowds lining the town centre to welcome the parade and see the salute taken in Market Square were exceptional.

“But, as the organisers of the event, we are responsible for the information on our website and we sincerely apologise to those who went to Market Square early, and not the borough war memorial, because of it.”

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/new...rd-borough-council-remembrance-sunday-2210772

I received the standard reply from the Mayor's office also in response to my email yesterday.

Very poor communication for the council but am sure we shall get a personal apology from whoever wrote the advertisement blurb....

Not.....

Moby Dick said:

I received the standard reply from the Mayor's office also in response to my email yesterday.

Very poor communication for the council but am sure we shall get a personal apology from whoever wrote the advertisement blurb....

Not.....

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It might have been better if they had just done nothing.

I would have expected it to be Earl Street-based, as it usually is, but I could have been misled by that announcement, with it being a potentially larger centenary event..

ye it is not very good and they need to learn a lesson from this.

They have apologised, clearly a case of human error with no maliciousness intended. It is time to move on.

From someone who has lost someone in the army I understand the importance of such a day as much as anyone.

This error would not have prevented people showing their respect at 11am, at the end of the day that is all that matters, nobody needs hanging or loosing their job over this.

What a shambles for the 100th anniversary ! Hopefully lessons will have been learnt for 2118. Ratepayers (Lions) Council officials (Donkeys).

markpa12003 said:

I'm confused, the remembrance service has always been held at the borough memorial ...

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It hasn't, though.

I can't go every year because sometimes i work on a Sunday, but every time i've been able to, i've gone to the Market Sq, where there has been assembled an humble crowd, dignitaries to add some dignity, and a bugler.

It's all about the Last Post.

sweep said:

Anyone in town for the two minutes silence? I walked through town at about 10:15 and saw a crown gathering around a podium and Union Jack placed in the centre. I figured I'd come back about 10:50 and someone would be delivering a speech before the 2 minutes silence. I came back later and there was quite a large crowd but the podium was completely empty. 10:59 came and nobody had turned up so I figured I'd keep an eye on the time myself.

11:00:00 came, and I started to observe the 2 minutes silence but many people around me were clearly waiting for some kind of signal as they carried on chatting for a full 30 seconds before people started being quiet. After that the 2 minutes silence went on for at least 3 minutes, probably again people were waiting for a signal. Eventually someone in the crowd started clapping which people joined in with.

I'm not really sure what the purpose of the stand in the centre was for if it wasn't to be used around the time of the 2 minutes silence. Clearly all the people that came to the town centre thought something had been organised.

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I was there too, and found it personally quite moving in the way that the eventual hubbub hushed, then descended, murmuring down to a silence, that became absolute.

The bugle call could be half-heard on the wind in the silence, but it was not quite the same.

Still, it was what it was.

Not quite what it should have been, but better than being there.

Withnail said:

It hasn't, though.

I can't go every year because sometimes i work on a Sunday, but every time i've been able to, i've gone to the Market Sq, where there has been assembled an humble crowd, dignitaries to add some dignity, and a bugler.

.

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For the last 7 or 8 years that I've been able to attend the remembrance service it has been held at the Borough memorial, after which there is a parade through the town and passed the councillors in market square.

Withnail said:

The bugle call could be half-heard on the wind in the silence, but it was not quite the same.

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Reminiscent of the "Phantom bugle player" of GEC Castle Works in the 70's

S

Gareth said:

ye it is not very good and they need to learn a lesson from this.

They have apologised, clearly a case of human error with no maliciousness intended. It is time to move on.

From someone who has lost someone in the army I understand the importance of such a day as much as anyone.

This error would not have prevented people showing their respect at 11am, at the end of the day that is all that matters, nobody needs hanging or loosing their job over this.

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The error may not have prevented people showing respect at 11am but it DID prevent people participating in the 100th Anniversary commemorations. They correctly followed the instructions on SBC website and were denied the chance to participate and surely that is the point. It is a huge mistake especially given it was the Centenary anniversary.

Jonah said:

The error may not have prevented people showing respect at 11am but it DID prevent people participating in the 100th Anniversary commemorations. They correctly followed the instructions on SBC website and were denied the chance to participate and surely that is the point. It is a huge mistake especially given it was the Centenary anniversary.

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Ah but you forget that nobody in local government must ever be held to account.

markpa12003 said:

For the last 7 or 8 years that I've been able to attend the remembrance service it has been held at the Borough memorial, after which there is a parade through the town and passed the councillors in market square.

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My first thought was that i'd definitely been to a service in the Market Square within that time frame.

Then reality kicked in, and i thought to myself, you know what, i can't be absolutely sure that i have. It is quite possible that it has been that long since i was last able to attend one, so i'm going to have to take your word for it. Most things that happened within the last decade seem to have been just the other day ago.

It doesn't really detract from it being an inexcusable f**k up on someone's part, but i haven't, and won't, lost any sleep over it. Taking some time to stop and think can be done anywhere, really.