Programme Arrangements For Remembrance Day 2026

Procession to the Cenotaph and Carless Memorial

10.05 a.m.

Deputy Lieutenant (David Frost CBE), The Worshipful the Mayor (Councillor Alan Fleming), Mayoress, Leader of the Council and Chief Executive of the Council,Member of Parliament, Clergy, Honorary Freemen of the Borough of Walsall,  Members of Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, Justices of the Peace, Service Personnel, representatives of societies, public bodies and organisations, veterans of the Sikh community, members of other faith communities and Officers of the Council will assemble at the Council House.

10.05 a.m. 

The following Units are requested to assemble at Hatherton Road and Hatherton Street

The Staffordshire Band

159 Div Support Company (101 FS Bn REME)

Walsall & Bloxwich branch of The Staffordshire Regiment Association

Mercian Volunteers Regimental Association

Cheshire Regimental Association

Walsall Sea Cadets

196 (Walsall) Squadron RAF Air Cadets

Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets

Queen Mary’s Grammar School Combined Cadet Force

St John Ambulance Cadets

Various uniformed youth organisations

Timings 

10.25 a.m.

The Procession will march to the Cenotaph in the order detailed overleaf, and by the following route: Lichfield Street, Lower Bridge Street, The Bridge, Bradford Street.

10.35 a.m.

The Procession will arrive at the Cenotaph in Bradford Place and form in the roadway round the Cenotaph.  Walsall Sea Cadets will provide a Guard of Honour for the Mayoral Party.

The Mayoral Party will enter the Cenotaph Garden and will take their places ready for the commencement of the Service.

10.40 a.m.

The Service, which will be amplified, will be conducted by Canon Rob Hall, vicar of St. Paul’s and St. Luke’s, Walsall and Anita Edwards, Reader, St Paul’s and St. Luke’s Walsall.  A sign language interpreter will relay the service for the hard of hearing. Anyone wanting to see the interpreter may wish to stand as close to the front as possible.

All present at the Cenotaph are requested to join in singing the hymns accompanied by The Staffordshire Band.

HYMN

1. God is our strength and refuge

     Our present help in trouble

     And we therefore will not fear

    Though the earth should change

    Though mountains shake and tremble

    Though swirling floods are raging

    God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore

2.   There is a flowing river

      Within God’s holy city

      God is in the midst of her 

      She shall not be moved

      God’s help is swiftly given

3.  Thrones vanish at his presence 

     God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore

     Come, see the works of our maker

     Learn of his deeds all powerful

     Wars will cease across the world

    When he shatters the spear 

4. Be still and know your creator

    Uplift him in the nations 

    God of Lord of hosts is with us evermore

Bible Reading

• Bible Reading: Pastor Debo Adesina – Victory Centre, Caldmore
• Address: Canon Rob Hall – Vicar of St. Paul’s and St. Luke’s Walsall
• The Prayers: Anita Edwards – Reader St. Paul’s and St. Luke’s Walsall
• Exhortation: Read by a Walsall veteran

            “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old

             Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn

             At the going down of the sun and in the morning

             We will remember them, We will remember them”

10.59 a.m.

Bugler from The Staffordshire Band will sound “THE LAST POST”.

11.00 a.m.

The two minutes' silence.The signal for the two-minute silence will be a WW1 whistle blast, given by a cadet from Walsall Sea Cadets, using a replica trench whistle based on those used by officers during the First World War. The end of the silence will also be marked by a whistle blast. 

The Bugler will then sound the “Reveille.” 

Kohima Epitaph

Read by a Walsall veteran

“When you go home, tell them of us and say

For your tomorrow, We gave our today”

The Deputy Lieutenant and the Mayor of Walsall will lead the laying of wreaths during the first verse of the following hymn:

Hymn

1. I vow to thee, my country – all earthly things above

       Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love

      The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test

      That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best

      The love that never falters, the love that pays the price

      The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice

  2.  And there’s another country, I’ve heard of long ago

      Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know

      We may not count her armies, we may not see her King

      Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering

      And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase

     And her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace

The Staffordshire Band will continue to play during the wreath laying ceremony.

Blessing

Canon Rob Hall

All present are requested to sing the first verse of the NATIONAL ANTHEM accompanied by The Staffordshire Band.

At the conclusion of the Service the Mayoral Party will return along the same route to the Council House, where the Mayor will take the salute. Mace Bearers and Standard Bearers will flank the saluting base.

Units will re-form in the same order and proceed along the same route to march past the saluting base. 

The Mayor, accompanied by members of the Carless family and a representative from the Royal Naval Association, will proceed to the Carless V.C. Memorial and will place a wreath thereon on behalf of the Town. Others desiring to lay wreaths may then do so. 

General dispersal. 

Ex-Servicemen are requested to note that uniforms will not be worn.  Medals and Decorations will be worn outside coats.

All lost/found children or vulnerable persons should be taken to the Lost Child/Vulnerable Persons Point, which is next to the advertising board at the Cenotaph (opposite the band) or please alert a member of the security team on duty around the Cenotaph.