A cool, overcast ceremony today, the weekend of D-Day.
Our Individual Remembrance today was delivered by Paul McCue and we remembered Canadian Private Joseph Johnston, Service Number D/76413 of the Royal Montreal Regiment, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps, 1st Canadian Army.
Private Johnston was born in 1900 and underage, signed up for service during the First World War. He served for two years before his age was discovered and he was discharged. He stayed in civilian life until the outbreak of the Second World War when he again enlisted. He served in the UK and died from an unspecified illness 85 years ago today on 7th June 1941, aged 40. He is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, plot 31, row F, grave 4.
The ceremony was recorded and may be viewed by following this link.
There were eight standards on parade with the Brookwood Last Post standard being carried by Alan Lopez.
Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post and we were joined by a student of Gordon’s School Pipes and Drums and she performed the Lament to a very high standard. This was the first time the student performed the Lament in public. Rob Bennett said the wise words.
The Exhortation was recited by WO Paul Dods RAF (Ret’d) who was visiting from Scotland and the Kohima Epitaph by one of the young cadets from Woking Sea Cadets.
Afterwards we retired to the Trench Experience for refreshments and to continue the stories.
A special thank you to Mike Hillman for the photographs and Alan Meeks for the video.
Brookwood Last Post 