The WFA's 2019 Armistice commemoration at the Cenotaph

11 November 2019

Images of The Western Front Association's 25th, 11th November Cenotaph Armistice Commemoration.

We are grateful to Jeff Moore for these photographs.

Jmp00541 — London Scottish Pipers prepare

Jmp00728 — Parade Marshal John Chester (centre with bowler hat) and a group of members and guests

Jmp00586 — This year, the RAF provided the guard of honour

Jmp00639 — Poppy wreaths from the Remembrance Sunday event were still at the foot of the Cenotaph, as Brother Nigel Cave leads the prayers

Veteran Ron Layton 9004 — Second World War veteran Ron Layton looked after by staff from the Royal Star and Garter Homes

Jmp00381 — The WFA's guests included those remembering the Chinese Labour Corps

Jmp00473 — Lined up in King Charles Street, ready for the parade to start

Jmp00712 — Young RAF cadets marching onto Whitehall from King Charles Street

Js0c0006 — Left to right WFA legal officer Rich Hughes in conversation with Lady Lucy French (Great grand-daughter of Field Marshal Sir John French). Also WFA president Prof Gary Sheffield (with wreath) in conversation with General Sir Nick Parker. Behind and between Lady Lucy French and Gary Sheffield is Diane Lees, Director General of the IWM. Behind and between Gary Sheffield and General Parker is Mr Nitin Palan, a trustee of the Hindu Temple at Neasden.

Js0c0018 — John Chester and the guard from the RAF Regiment

Js0c0067 — Richard Hughes, Lady Lucy French, Prof Gary Sheffield and General Sir Nick Parker

111111Poster Yt Capture — The RAF Regiment provided the guard of honour

Js0c0179 — Cerys Matthews read from Dylan Thomas ‘And death shall have no dominion’

Walton High School, Staffordshire — Students from Walton High School

Inspired by their visit to the battlefields of Belgium and France as part of the UCL First World War centenary Battlefield Tours Programme, Walton High School decided to construct a Remembrance Garden at school to not only act as a focus for the annual remembrance ceremony but also to provide a space in which students could reflect, relax and enjoy a sunny day. The school sourced a piece of slate to act as a memorial and built a garden using plants and flowers associated with remembrance and witnessed on our tour. The Garden was officially opened in November 2017 and is now the centrepiece of whole school remembrance and commemoration events. Further spaces are now being developed on the school site to enable students to reflect and remember the events of the two world wars.

Js0c9931 — St Albans Girls' School students at the WFA ceremony

Since 2014 St Albans Girls School have developed and contributed to many local, national and international First World War commemoration events. In St Albans itself, students from the school produced a static display for the St Albans Museum explaining their part in the UCL Battlefield Tours Programme visit and looking at Bertram Glossop - a local soldier who died at the Battle of the Somme. The students had a launch event and then the display remained in place for a month. People who visited the exhibition were encouraged to comment on the display. Students from St Albans Girls School also played roles at the National Service of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey in November 2018 and have also contributed to international research projects about young people’s engagement with the First World War commemorations.