Marking 100 years since WW1

A special fellowship meeting was held from 1200 hours until 1430 hours on the 14th November 2018 at The Wiltshire Hotel Golf and Leisure Club, to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the ending of World War 1, Armistice Day.

A lunch was laid on for members and their partners and all were invited to attend in Edwardian clothing or to wear memorabilia if they had served in Her Majesties Forces. Many brought along photographs, medals and documents relating to the war which had once belonged to their distant relatives.

Our Rotary club was also honoured with the guest attendance of John Parker, President of Royal Wootton Bassett Probus Club.

To background music of soundtracks and films from the early 1900's, war poems, such as 'In Flanders Fields' & 'The Soldier' were read by Rotary members along with readings, one from a diary of a wartime nurse, and some from 'The Wipers Times', a satirical newspaper created by two officers of WW1 in Ypres, where, in a bombed out building, they had found an old printing press. Defying bombardments and gas attacks, they rolled off this newspaper from the press for two long years.

The lunch ended with members singing popular songs of the war and a hymn 'Jerusalem' and 'God Save the King'. A member then read a letter from a member's grandfather about his thoughts at the end of the war.

Club President Phil Tanner raised a loyal toast to the Queen and to Rotary around the World which ended this very poignant celebration. 

Click here to see the meeting agenda