Members of the Whitchurch branch of The Royal British Legion are to join thousands on a pilgrimage of Remembrance to World War One battlefield that culminates in a parade and ceremony in Ypres as part of the end of the First World War centenary commemorations this August.
The Royal British Legion event, known as Great Pilgrimage 90 (GP90), takes place between August 5 and 9 and will be one of the largest in the charity’s history.
That Pilgrimage culminated in a march through Ypres to the Commonwealth War Grave Commission’s Menin Gate Memorial for a ceremony to commemorate the launch of The Hundred Days Offensive and in remembrance of those who never returned.
Local Legion members, Mrs Rose Snell and Mrs Christine Bebbington will represent the Whitchurch Branch and the local community at the event, as Standard Bearer and wreath layer respectively.
Rose and Christine will tour some of the same battlefields and cemeteries visited by those on the 1928 Pilgrimage, before marching along the original route through Ypres, to the Menin Gate on the 8th August, bearing their branch standard and a wreath.
They will join more than 2,200 other Legion representatives and dignitaries, including Civic and military guests from the UK, Commonwealth and Northern Europe who are taking part. Once at the Menin Gate, Christine will lay a wreath on behalf of the Whitchurch community.
Rupert Hutchinson Smith of the Whitchurch Branch of The Royal British Legion, comments: “Great Pilgrimage 90 is a unique opportunity for the Legion community to come together and bear our Standards along the same route in Ypres taken 90 years earlier by the veterans and widows of the First World War. The Whitchurch Branch looks forward to proudly representing Whitchurch at the event.”
As local champions of Remembrance, the Whitchurch Branch of The Royal British Legion is looking to work in partnership with their community to bring their unique Remembrance message to the Menin Gate, on their wreath, where it will be displayed in a wreath installation for viewing by the general public until the end of August.
If you want to find out more about GP90 or your local Royal British Legion branch, then please visit RBL Website, link below or contact Rupert Hutchinson Smith 07802535856
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