Praise for Newport's young people as 'baton of Remembrance' is passed on at weekend events
Residents of a Shropshire market town turned out in their hundreds for two remembrance events over the weekend.
Both Armistice Day on Saturday and Remembrance Day on Sunday saw the townsfolk of Newport, including young people, remembering the fallen in what have been described as "particularly dignified" ceremonies.
Councillor Peter Scott attended events on both days and has a poignant family reason for being at the annual Armistice Day service at the well-tended dozen war graves at Newport General Cemetery. His great uncle Charles Scott died of his injuries following the First World War.
Armistice Day marks the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month when the guns of the First World War fell silent across the shell-shattered trenches and blood-soaked battlefields of the Western Front in 1918.
"Most of those in the war graves are from the First World War and are local people," said Councillor Scott. "It is always a service for the people of Newport sand there was total respect for the fallen.
"Saturday's service was a particularly dignified ceremony, and attendance was good and because the sun shone it added a certain dignity to it."
It was organised by Newport Town Council and included the playing of the Last Post, a two-minute silence and wreath-laying on the war graves. The red of the poppies laying against the headstones of the white war graves with colourful standards dipped made for a poignant scene.
The poignancy returned to Newport on Sunday with the annual service of Remembrance when 10 names of the town's many war dead were read out at St Nicholas Church.
Councillor Scott was particularly pleased with the turnout of young people from cadet and community groups.
"Remembrance is very much about the younger generation, they are the ones who will have to keep it going," he said.
"The town as a whole always turns out and it is fair to say that this year, as always, Newport remembered.
"The Last Post was very impressive and played by one of the young people," he said. "It is a massive responsibility but it was played beautifully.
"It is really important that the baton is passed on to our young people and from everyone aged five years and up they understand what it is all about, they really know what they are about.
"Remembrance in Newport is in good hands and it will I think go on forever."
