Members of the Portland branch of The Royal British Legion will travel to Belgium as part of a pilgrimage of remembrance.
The group will travel to the Belgian town of Ypres to mark 90 years since the original Royal British Legion Pilgrimage took place in 1928.
At the time 11,000 First World War veterans and war widows visited the battlefields of the Somme in France and Ypres a decade after the conflict ended. The pilgrimage finished with 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.
Members of the Portland branch of the RBL, Wayne Day and Steven Browne, will represent Portland at this year’s pilgrimage as a standard bearer and wreath layer respectively.
A poem written by Sam Linley-Munroe of St George’s Primary School will be featured on the wreath taken overseas.
Steve Carter, a teacher at the school, said: “St George’s was honoured to have been asked to be involved in the upcoming Great Pilgrimage 90 commemorations as recognition for the fund-raising we do every year for remembrance.
“The children were asked to provide poetry to be used on the card for the Portland Royal British Legion branch’s wreath. The children provided some excellent work with Sam Linley-Munro’s words being chosen for the wreath.”
Mr Day and Mr Browne 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 set to take part.
Malcolm Cockerill, Chairman of the Portland branch of The Royal British Legion said: “Great Pilgrimage 90 is a unique opportunity for the Legion community to come together and bear our stands along the same route in Ypres taken 90 years earlier by the veterans and widows of the First World War. The Portland branch looks forward to proudly representing Portland at the event.”
The Royal British Legion’s Great Pilgrimage 90 will take place from August 5 to August 9. There will be a parade through Ypres’ market street on August 8 at midday, followed by a one hundred day ceremony and musical entertainment.
To find out more about the Portland branch of The Royal British Legion contact the Portland Branch Secretary at stanavaughan@yahoo.co.uk
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