Today saw a good turn out of Standards for the ceremony.

We remembered Gunner Edward Kenneth Balm, service number B/38297 of the Royal Canadian Artillery. He was aged 20 years old when he died.

We also remembered Gunner Robert Alexander Dixon, service number D/118141 also of the Royal Canadian Artillery.

Both were killed exactly 80 years ago today on 5th March 1943 and are buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery.

Paul McCue delivered the Individual Remembrance with Peter Hills offering prayers and blessings. Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post.

We had standards from the Woking Royal Naval Association, the Artists Rifles, the Royal British Legion (Surrey), the Royal British Legion (Knaphill, Bisley and West End Branch) and our Senior Standard Bearer paraded the Royal Engineers Standard. Alan Lopez carried the Brookwood Last Post Standard.

Charlie Neale, a Sea Cadet from Guildford, placed poppy crosses on the graves and read the Kohima Epitaph.

Afterwards we retired to the Trench Experience for refreshments.

Thank you to Alan Meeks for the photographs.

A chilly February day saw around 40 members of the public join us for our monthly ceremony today.

The subject of our Individual Remembrance was Pilot Officer Peter Harry Moller of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 22 January 1941, aged 24 and is buried yards from the RAF Memorial Shelter in Brookwood Cemetery. He was killed when the Blenheim he was in crashed shortly after take-off from Bodney.

Tom Milne paraded the Union Flag and Alan Lopez paraded the BLP Standard. Rob Bennett performed chaplain duties and Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post.

The Exhortation and Kohima Epitaph were read by two young people, a brother and sister who happened to be in the cemetery. The BLP’s goal is for young people to be involved in the ceremony as much as possible.

After the ceremony, we retreated to the Trench Experience to warm up.

Photos kindly taken by Alan Meeks and Mike Hillman and used with permission.

In the modern history of the BLP, today was the first gathering on New Year’s Day as far back as anyone can remember and it was surprising to see around 40 people attend what was expected to be a casual and short ceremony.

A brief ceremony took place and the subject of our Individual Remembrance was Guardsman Alexander MacLeod of the clan MacLeod.

Guardsman MacLeod of the 2nd Bn. Scots Guards died on the 1st January 1915, aged 28. He was the husband of Bridget MacLeod and is remembered on Le Touret Memorial, Richebourg-l’Avoué, in the Pas-de-Calais region of France.

Senior Standard Bearer Tom Milne carried the Union, Flag, Alan Lopez the BLP Standard. Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post and played the National Anthem. Peter Hills officiated over the ceremony. Eddie Jones paraded the Artist’s Rifles Standard.

We then retired to the Trench Experience for refreshments.

Thank you to Mike Hillman for the photographs.