Marking Remembrance 2022

Churcher’s College marked Remembrance 2022 with a series of events throughout the week.   

On the evening of Wednesday 9 November, the School held its annual Remembrance Concert at St Peter’s Church, Petersfield with the Senior Orchestra and Senior Choir which performed 'The Armed Man' by Karl Jenkins.

On Friday 11 November Churcher’s College commemorated Armistice Day with a special morning service followed by a procession through the school’s war memorial whilst the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) of Army, Navy and RAF cadets stood in formation. Matthew R. played the Last Post for us at the Assembly (as well as at the Remembrance Sunday service held in Petersfield Town Centre on the Sunday).

In attendance was WWII veteran Mr Michael Tibbs OBE who had served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) and whose grandchildren are Old Churcherians.

Michael is one of the very few remaining veterans of WWII and at 101 years old he saw active duty as a submariner. Having volunteered to join the RNVR at 18, as soon as he left school, Michael was speedily trained and then operational in the far East, where as a member of crew on HMS Tantalus he patrolled down the Malacca Strait, across the Indian Ocean and down the funnel between Malaya (Malaysia) and Sumatra.  

After the service, the banner party and wreath bearers started the procession to the school’s war memorial, built to honour Old Churcherians who fought in the First and Second World Wars. Poppy wreaths were laid and saluted after which all senior school pupils and CCF cadets followed behind the wreath bearers to walk the route through the memorial to remember those lost.  

Flickr album: Remembrance Ceremony & Procession 2022 | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin

On Remembrance Sunday, Churcher’s College CCF and Senior Wind Band were honoured to be part of the Petersfield town centre Remembrance Parade and Service, held in the Square outside St Peter’s Church followed by a march to the town’s war memorial where wreaths were laid whilst the names of those who gave their lives were read out by a selection of senior cadets from Churcher’s College, The Petersfield School and ATC. The service was attended by many Petersfield residents wishing to pay their respects as well as Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Alan Titchmarsh MBE and East Hampshire MP, Rt Hon Damian Hinds. 

Flickr album: Remembrance Sunday Parade 2022, Market Square, Petersfield | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin