West Ham

LONDON STONE DEDICATED On Saturday 12th February 2005

"The BNTVA Chaplin, the Very Reverend Nicholas Frayling, unveiled the London Branch Memorial Stone inside All Saints West Ham Parish Church. The black stone with its gold inscription and BNTVA crest is situated on the north wall below a Union Jack and a Memorial Plaque to the Royal Marine Bandsmen killed in Deal in 1998.

The Service was conducted by the vicar Revd Dr Julian Scharf and the Address was given by Dean Frayling. Prior to the unveiling of the Memorial Stone, the new Branch Standard of the London branch of BNTVA was dedicated and subsequently paraded with Standards from the Portsmouth, North West and the local

Sea Cadet Unit. Also paraded were the national flags of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Kiribati and the Aborigine people and borne by members of the local Air Cadets.

The Ceremony was in the presence of the Deputy Lieutenant of the London Borough of Newham Colonel Dunning OBE, TD, LE and the Civic Ambassador of the London Borough of Newham Councillor Patrick Holland and Mr Richard Annis representing the Co-operative Society. Visiting members of BNTVA and their families and local members with their families and local residents ensured a good turn out.

In the absence through illness of Peter Fletcher OBE, Honorary' President of BNTVA, his daughter Pauline officially invited the Reverends to dedicate the Memorial Stone. The Act of Dedication and Remembrance followed and then the

Last Post, the Silence and Reveille allowed many a quiet and personal prayer of Remembrance. After formal prayers and the Hymn ‘Guide me O Thou great Redeemer' there was the Blessing and concluded with the National Anthem.

All are indebted to Ken Taylor for organising the day and the clergy for conducting the Service and local Cadets for attending and so London has a significant setting for the Memorial. The nearby ‘Trowel and Telegraph' provided good

after Service food."
from Campaign Magazine June 2005

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