EXACTLY 90 years later, thousands of representatives from the Royal British Legion recreated the 1928 Pilgrimage visiting the same battlefields and then, on August 8, 2018, paraded their branch standard and a wreath along the same route to the magnificent Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium, for the One Hundred Days Ceremony to commemorate the last 100 days of World War 1 and represent an entire generation that served while defending their country.
Myself and Maria Baker, who sits on the grants panel of the Rainbow Fund here in Brighton, were privileged to be invited along to watch and be part of the moving ceremony along with other LGBT+ representatives from the armed services, media organisations and Stonewall, the national equality charity.
As members of the public and military veterans gathered in Ypres Market Square on August 8, they were able to view the parade on large screens erected in the Market Square the One Hundred Days ceremony taking place under the Menin Gate Memorial
Over 1,100 standard bearers paraded through the streets and Market Square of Ypres, followed by 1,100 wreath layers to the ceremony taking place under the Menin Gate Memorial, which included addresses from the Bishop of Carlisle and the Archbishop of York.
A message from the Queen ended with the words: “As you stand together at the Menin Gate and in Flanders, it is my sincere hope that the ceremony provides a thought-provoking opportunity to assist in your own acts of Remembrance”, and then, as the Last Post sounded, red petals fell from the roof of the memorial during the two-minutes silence, creating a very special and moving moment that words can’t convey..
After the 1,100 wreaths were laid, the parade of Standard Bearers returned to Market Square to huge acclaim from the gathered crowds for an afternoon of exhibitions and musical performances by the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Scotland, the Central Band of the Royal British Legion and the London Welsh Male Voice Choir, who all performed magnificently.
The Royal British Legion are in the process of creating an LGBTQ & Allies Branch here in Brighton. Susan Coleman, well know locally in Brighton is the newly appointed Staff Champion for LGBTQ and Allies liaison for the Royal British Legion, to help the process move forward.
They are holding a meeting to discuss forming the branch on Saturday, September 15 at 2pm at the Royal British Legion Pop In Centre, Hyperion House, 100-101 Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XF.
Following the meeting, an application to form a new branch will be submitted to the Royal British Legion Membership Council for consideration. Everyone is free to attend. If you are already a member of the Royal British Legion you will, if you wish, be able to transfer your branch membership to the new LGBTQ & Allies Branch once the application has been discussed and accepted by the Royal British Legion Membership Council.
Photographs by Matt Alexander and Mark Allan
