Dittisham Village Voice  November 18, 2011

Last Sunday, Remembrance Sunday, in St George’s Church  we remembered those from Dittisham who gave their lives in the two world wars. ‘For our tomorrow, they gave their today’.   1914 – 1918 William R. Came, Arthur Chase, Charles John Eales, Roy Ferris, Sydney Ferris, Thomas Harding, Samuel Perring.  1939- 1945 Frederic Adams, Edgar Butland, Gordon Fletcher, Ivan Quick, Ewart Trant, James Wakely.  Many of these family names live on in the village.  We only hear these names once a year yet they have become a  sort of Litany . In some European countries there is a move to do away with celebrating  the memories of war dead but in Britain it really has become a key part of our national identity.   In my mind with 16,000 wounded or dead since 1945 it seems right to keep this day and to hear the words again from John’s Gospel

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends

As the church clock rang out at 11.00am  HMS Dittisham bell was struck 6 times, a recording was played of the Last Post. Robin Sjoberg read out  the immortal lines ‘They shall grow not old ..’  John Walker, chairman of the Parish Countil,   Jenny Sjoberg, churchwarden, and Commander Jeff Short from Royal Britannia College collected wreaths from the altar and placed them by the two war memorials.  The sermon by Ron Travers was a fitting tribute to our heroes.  As was the arrival by whaler of the 4 Naval cadets who left their life jackets in the pub before walking up the steep  hill to the church   almost a military exercise.  They were made very welcome by the congregation.