In the chilly early spring sunshine, about 60 people gathered for the March Last Post.

Our Individual Remembrance was Private William Wilson of the 1 Salvage Coy, Royal Canadian Ordanance Corps who died on 2nd March 1945, exactly 80 years ago today.

Private Wilson was wounded on 16th February and his injuries consisted of concussion and a fractured spine.

He had lived in Ingersoll for several years and was survived by his wife and son.

Two members of the public kindly agreed to say the Exhortation and the Kohima Epitaph.

Our Senior Standard Bearer Tom Milne has chosen to parade the Royal Engineers standard from now on and Dennis Stewart has stepped in to parade the Union Flag. Alan Lopez paraded the Brookwood Last Post standard and Eddie Jones paraded the Artist Rifles’ standard.

Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post and Peter Hills was on duty with the wise words.

Afterwards we retired to the Trench Experience for a much needed drink to warm up.

The ceremony was videod and may be viewed here.

Thank you to Paul McCue for researching the Individual Remembrance, Alan Meeks for the video and Mike Hillman for the photos.

A bitterly cold day for the February Last Post.

Our Individual Remembrance concentrated on Ensign Violette Szabó who was brutally murdered together with Denise Bloch (previously remembered) and Lilian Rolfe at Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, north of Berlin sometime during the period of 25th January to 5th February 1945, around 80 years ago.

All three were agents of F (French) Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE) and had been captured in France in 1944.

Violette had been recruited as a member of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) in order to serve in the SOE. Later decorated posthumously with the George Cross, she had served in two dangerous missions in German-occupied France. Violette had been caught after running into an enemy checkpoint and giving covering fire to enable her two male companions to escape. Violette was just 23 years old at her death.

All three agents were featured in the film ‘Carve Her Name With Pride’.

There were seven standards on parade with standards representing The Royal Engineers, The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, The Royal British Legion, branches Richmond (Surrey) and the Knaphill, Bisley and West End branch, the Woking Royal Naval Association, the Artist Rifles and the Brookwood Last Post. The Union Flag was statically displayed.

A wreath was laid on behalf of the Secret WW2 Learning Network.

Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post and Rev Rob Bennett led prayers and a blessing.

We retired afterwards to the Trench Experience where the stories continued.

The ceremony was videoed and may be watched here along with a dedicated ceremony at the Memorial to the Missing led by Paul McCue.

Thank you to Mike Hillman for the photos, Alan Meeks for the video and Paul McCue of the Secret WW2 Learning Network for the analysis on our individual remembrance.

Today in damp conditions around 40 people assembled for the first Last Post of 2025.

Our Individual Remembrance was Soldato Bruno Zanchi. Soldato Zanchi was a prisoner of war (PoW) who, following the Italian surrender in September 1943, became what was known as a co-operator PoW, a member of an Italian Working Company at Camp 566, Patterton Camp, Thornliebank, Lanarkshire, Scotland, just to the south-west of Glasgow.

80 years ago yesterday, on 4^th January 1945, he was killed by a cyclist in an accident. He was originally buried in St Peter’s Cemetery, Dalbeth, Glasgow and, postwar, relocated to Brookwood Military Cemetery. He is buried in the Italian plot, Lincoln Avenue, row B, grave 7.

There were standards on parade from the Royal British Legion, Woking Royal Naval Association and the Artists Rifles.

Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post and the Exhortation and Kohima Epitaph were read by members of the public.

Afterwards, we gratefully retired to the Trench Experience for refreshments.

The ceremony was recorded by Alan Meeks and may be watched here.

Thank you to Paul McCue for researching the Individual Remembrance and Mike Hillman for the photos.