Passing the torch of remembrance: From the Old Contemptibles to the WFA

On 11 November 2024, the Western Front Association marks the thirtieth anniversary of a tradition, begun by the Old Contemptibles’ Association in 1926, that was passed to the WFA in 1994.

James Brazier recounts the history of this transition in Between The Lines, the newsletter of the East Kent Branch of the Western Front Association. Following is an excerpt from his article, The Old Contemptibles’ Association in East Kent – and Beyond (issue 73, April/May 2023).

Remembrance at the Whitehall Cenotaph

The Old Contemptibles’ Association (OCA) was formed in 1925 and, like old soldiers, the Association ‘faded away’ in the 1990s. Initially, membership was restricted to holders of the 1914 Star but, over time, others could join the Association. In later years, other persons who had a deep interest in the Great War could apply to become Patrons of the Association...

The Old Contemptibles’ Association carried out their act of remembrance at the Whitehall Cenotaph on 11 November each year up to 1993. Sadly, there were no Chums [members of the association] able to attend the Armistice Day service in 1994 and that is when the WFA came in to ensure that the act of remembrance each Armistice Day continued.

At eleven o’clock on Armistice Day 1994, the WFA carved its own piece of history as the traffic in Whitehall was brought to a halt – for the first time on that occasion since 1946.

With the traffic halted, the Last Post was sounded to herald a minute’s silence followed by Reveille. Four wreaths were then laid – the first by Teddy Noyes on behalf of the Old Contemptibles’ Association (to ensure the continuance of the Old Contemptibles’ annual act of remembrance although there were no Chums present to witness the occasion). This was followed by the laying of the WFA wreaths at the Cenotaph for the very first time.

The first of the three WFA wreaths was laid by Margery Giles, widow of the WFA’s late Founder. The second WFA wreath was laid by John Terraine, the WFA’s President and noted military historian, and the third WFA wreath was laid by Tony Noyes, the WFA Chairman.

It was Tony Noyes who had initiated the re-instatement of the laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph on Armistice Day. Of course, Remembrance Sunday is still the national day of remembrance of the war dead but it is to Tony’s credit that the date 11 November is increasingly being recognised as the day of remembrance by the ‘ordinary people’.

One only has to see how the WFA’s service at the Cenotaph has grown since 1994. Last year (2022), there were roughly 250 WFA members and guests inside the cordon and some 2,000 members of the public, including people connected with the MoD, outside the cordon.

I attended the first WFA service at the Cenotaph in 1994 and in the years immediately following. I watched it grow each year and was hugely proud when I watched the 2022 service via the WFA’s website and could hardly believe how it had grown since Tony Noyes had initiated the WFA service back in 1994.

For the purposes of this article, I contacted Teddy Noyes who I had not seen since attending Tony Noyes’ funeral in 2012. Teddy very kindly contributed the following:

I was a Patron of the Old Contemptibles' Association: in fact, I was also their last Vice-Chairman. At the time, Brigadier Sprake (who lived at Folkestone) was concerned as to who would place the Old Contemptibles’ wreath in 1994 as Basil Farrer had died and the Brigadier wanted the Old Contemptibles to continue to place their wreath. He asked if I would do it and, naturally, I said yes. This was before Tony made any arrangements for the WFA. Subsequently, Brigadier Sprake died in the May, so it was just as well we had had thoughts on the subject. I have ensured the continuance of their Old Contemptibles’ plot on the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey and that a wreath is placed at the Cenotaph on 11 November each year. So, when Tony was formulating his thoughts about 11/11, I said that the Old Contemptibles had prior claim to the Cenotaph as they had been placing their wreath on the 11 November, with a bugler, for many years (I had attended each year since 1980), and the Old Contemptibles always had Chums present at the opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey.

The Old Contemptibles Association produced a magazine which was designed to keep the Chums in touch with one another. This magazine terminated in December 1975 due to financial reasons. After this, there were no further national meetings or ‘get-togethers’ but the London and South East Area was picked up by the various Patrons, and Brigadier Sprake (who was a Patron) began to organise outings for the branch members in his area. As this was popular with ‘his’ Chums, he then put a notice in the Soldier Magazine for other Chums to contact him and it snowballed. He was a friend of Sir Martin Gilbert and this contact led to HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother becoming the Patron-in-Chief of the Old Contemptibles’ Association. At meetings of the Old Contemptibles’ Association, held at the National Army Museum, we always had a Chum as the notional chairman (even though Brigadier Sprake ran the meetings!). When Brigadier Sprake died in May 1994, he was organising a service to be held at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in August 1994 and I had to stand in for him. Only one Chum was present on that day in 1994 - Chum Frank Sumpter, an in-pensioner of Chelsea Hospital.

I always ensure that someone represents the Chums at the opening of the Field of Remembrance each year.

By James Brazier, with very special thanks to Kathy Stevenson for her write-up of the 1994 Cenotaph service published in the February 1995 WFA Bulletin and to Teddy Noyes for her invaluable contribution.