With the 80th anniversary of VE Day just four days away, our ceremony focussed on that event. Our Chairman delivered a short speech mentioning that on the 8th May 1945, the CWGC website listed over 200 deaths, many of them in the far east as war continued there for a further few months.

We had representatives of the Royal British Legion Riders Berkshire group, that were on a motorcycle ride out today and stopped by for the ceremony. We were grateful that one of their members said the Kohima Epitaph at the end of the ceremony.

Our Individual Remembrance today focused on Sister Mary Satchell of the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service. Sister Satchell died while on active service on VE Day, the 8^th May 1945.

Nursing in the army can be traced back to Florence Nightingale during the Crimea War and in 1902 the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service was formed that provided nurses across the world during the First World War.

During the Second World War, the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service was expanded in order to provide nurses and sisters at all Military General Hospitals. In this capacity, nurses served in all the theatres of operations where British and Indian troops were deployed.

The Service was in effect officers only, and the rank of Sister was the equivalent of a Lieutenant, although treated as officers, they were not commissioned officers of the British Army.

Sister Satchell, daughter of James and Jeanne Satchell was 30 years old when she died and is buried in the Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery.

Our poem was simply titled ‘VE Day’, a poem by Angela Wybrow. A member of the public very kindly read this out.

A video of the ceremony may be viewed here.

Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post, the Rev. Peter Hills said the wise words today and Kevin Brain delivered the Individual Remembrance.

Our Standard Bearers today.

Afterwards we retired to the Trench Experience to continue the stories. There were some great military vehicles on display that will form the basis of the VE Day celebrations in Woking Jubilee Square tomorrow.

Thank you to Mike Hillman for the comprehensive photos and Alan Meeks for the video.