|
|
|
Extract from East Anglian Daily Times of Friday 26 October 2001 The last time the Memorial Cross looked so clean and white was at its unveiling on November 28, 1921. The East Anglian Daily Times reported that the vicar, the Rev J Michael Jones, supported by a surpliced choir, first conducted a service for the large crowd which included many from outside as well as in Bentley. Next Colonel C Carnegy, of Stutton, believed to be the vicar's nephew, gave brief and "appropriate address" and then removed the Union Jack covering the base of the Cross to reveal the names of the 16 fallen. The Last Post was sounded and finally relatives of the fallen placed their wreaths around the foot of the cross. Mary Laflin, then a pupil at Bentley School, remembers that the large crowd gathered safely and without interruption in Capel and Church Roads as so few motors cars and horses then passed. The Cross stood originally between two well-established horse chestnuts of which one remains today. The Cross was designed by H Munro Cautley, architect, writer and the greatest connoisseur of East Anglian churches. EE Saunders of Ipswich erected the Cross. | ||
Extract from East Anglian Daily Times of Friday 23 November 2001 After a lapse of several years, a Remembrance service was held at the war memorial. Fifty residents, some too young to have wartime memories, stood in a circle around the memorial to observe two minutes' silence and hear Keith Phillips, chairman of the parish council, read a verse from Binyon's "For the Fallen" as well as the names of the 23 who gave their lives. Afterwards he laid a wreath. Sandra Mehen, licensed reader, said prayers. The memorial's renovation was completed in October when S A Prior created a circular area, studded with pebbles and edged by bricks, around its base. | ||
|
|
|
Update Sunday 12 November 2006 Since the War memorial was refurbished regular annual Remembrance Day services have been held and are well supported by the community. At this year's event the service was conducted by Sandra Mehan and Keith Phillips. About 60 people attended and a poppy wreath was laid from Bentley parishioners by the chairman of the parish council. | ||
