Our ceremony today was held shortly after the ceremony held by the Memorial Association for Free Czechoslovak Veterans.

As part of our Individual Remembrance we remembered Lieutenant John Richard Skeet. Lieutenant Skeet was a local lad, born in 1895 and his family is best known for the locally well known business, the builder’s merchants and iron mongers Skeet & Jeffs.

He was educated at the Royal Grammar School Guildford between 1906 and 1913. He subsequently joined the army as a lieutenant in the London Regiment Transport.

It’s unknown when he joined the London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) 2nd Bn but he was killed in action on the 27th April 1918 in France. He is commemorated at the Pozieres Memorial, Panel 85 & 86, France.

For the first time in our modern history, we were honoured that the chosen poem was read by its author, Anna, and is published here for the first time.

D-Day

Brothers in arms, walking arm in arm onto the boats
Encouraged by each other, fighting for each other
Clutching tightly onto their handwritten notes
From someone back home who loved them.

They watched the coast come into view
Took in the guns, tanks and bodies
Who would return? Nobody knew
But they knew they’d go down together.

First they jumped, then they swam, then they ran
Dodging bullets, guns and bombs
And in the mind of every man
Their purpose drove them on.

They shot and shot and shot
Each bullet saving another Frenchman
And although they mourned for the men they lost
They were overcome by the joy of their victory.

They sailed back together, Brothers in arms
The French, British, Canadian, American,
Czech, Slovak, Polish, arm in arm
They had fought together, they had won together.

We were delighted that The Venerable Dr (Air Vice-Marshal) Giles Legood, Chaplain-in-Chief and Archdeacon for the RAF HQ Air Command, RAF High Wycombe was able to say prayers and a blessing today.

We also had senior members of staff of both Brookwood Military Cemetery and Brookwood Cemetery say the Exhortation and Kohima Epitaph respectively.

Alan Lopez was our Standard Bearer, with Tom Milne carrying the Union Flag. Standards were also present from the Artist’s Rifles and the Woking Royal Naval Association.

Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post and provided backing for the National Anthem.

Afterwards we retired to the Trench Experience and caught up with our friends from the Memorial Association for Free Czechoslovak Veterans.

The ceremony may be fully viewed by following this link.

Photos by Mike Hillman.

We welcomed the 1st Oxted Barrow Green Scouts to our ceremony today.

Our Individual Remembrance subject was Soldato (Private) Giuseppe Martino from Frosinone, 70 miles south-east of Rome, Service Number: 45914 of the Italian Army. He died 80 years ago on 3 March 1944.

Soldato Martino, an Italian Prisoner of War (though Italy had capitulated in September 1943 and joined the Allies the following month) was engaged with another Italian prisoner and a British squad on timber work in the Scottish county of Angus. The two Italians were not authorised to operate tractors, but while the other men were taking a break, Martino attempted to drive the tractor up a steep slope. The tractor overturned on top of Martino and killed him. He was aged about 23 years old.

He was originally buried in Scotland and his body was reinterred at Brookwood after the Second World War in the Italian plot 16, Lincoln Avenue, row C, grave 3.

We were very privileged to have Jess from Gordon’s School sound the Last Post and Reveille today in her very first ever public performance using a genuine bugle. Jess has sounded the Last Post for us in the past using a cornet and we hope to see her back again soon.

Peter Hills provided the words of wisdom and Paul McCue delivered the Individual Remembrance and poem.

Alan Lopez paraded the BLP Standard, Tom Milne the Union Flag and we had standards from the Artist’s Rifles, the Royal British Legion, Knaphill, Bisley and West End branch, the Woking Royal Naval Association and 1st Oxted Barrow Green Scouts.

We were grateful to 1st Oxted Barrow Green Scouts for laying a wreath and providing Scouts to say the Exhortation and Kohima Epitaph. Our Chairman Kevin Davis is an Explorer Scout Leader and was honoured to participate in the investiture of a young Scout into the group.

Thank you to Alan Meeks for providing the photos and especially the audio.

Today around 40 people were present for the February ceremony of the Brookwood Last Post.

Our Individual Remembrance was for two airmen lost in the second world war. Flight Sergeant Keith Watson and Flight Sergeant Ernest Edwards of the 448 (Royal New Zealand Air Force) Squadron crashed on a night flying exercise in a De Havilland Mosquito while operating from RAF Bradwell, Essex on 3 February 1944.

Flt. Sgt Watson, pilot, son of David and Emily Watson of Pohangina, New Zealand was aged 20. Flt. Sgt Edwards, navigator, son of Archibald and Florence Edwards of Wakefield, Nelson, New Zealand was aged 26.

They are buried next to each other in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Plot 2, row K, graves 1 and 1a respectively.

Our unnamed poem was taken from the obituary published in the hometown newspaper of Flt. Sgt Watson and has no known author.

If, in his life, his smiling face

Brought sunshine to some darkened place

And if his mem’ry, ever clear

Brings only love and pride and cheer,

He did not live in vain.

If, in his death, his sacrifice,

So freely offered, was the price

That must be paid to keep us free

And save the world from tyranny

He did not die in vain.

On parade today was Tom Milne, carrying the Union Flag and Alan Lopez carrying the BLP Standard. We also had standards from the Artist’s Rifles and the Woking Royal Naval Association.

Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post and the Rev. Rob Bennett performed official duties.

We retired to The Trench Experience to continue the stories.

Thanks to the Bugler’s Association for assisting with the sound today, Paul McCue for the IR and Alan Meeks and Dave Lucas for the photographs.