ORDER OF SERVICE
10.30 am The Salvation Army Band arrives along with the University of Exeter’s Chapel Choir
10.30 am Service Units march to the Memorial
10.50 am The Lord Mayor’s Procession lead by the Salamanca Band of the Rifles, arrives and we sing the hymn: 'Abide with Me'
ABIDE with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou Who changest not, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46.1)
Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary
they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40.31)
And so it is that we gather on this day, remembering those who have fallen just as our predecessors have done in this place for the last 100 years. We also acknowledge that this year marks the 80th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
We remember with thanksgiving and with sorrow those whose lives, in conflicts past and present, have been given and taken away. We give you thanks for their sacrifice and the sacrifice of all those left behind.
Lord, in your mercy:
Hear our prayer
We pray for all those serving in our armed forces and ancillary services today. In particular on this day we pray for all who have suffered loss, disability or pain in the course of their service.
Lord, in your mercy:
Hear our prayer
We pray for all who are living in the shadow of war. We pray for those who work as peacekeepers across the globe, and those who work tirelessly for the reconciliation of all peoples, that all God’s children may live in freedom, justice and peace.
Lord, in your mercy:
Hear our prayer
Amen
Let us pray with confidence as Jesus himself has taught us.
Please join in
Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever,
Amen.
Parade comes to attention. Standard Bearers to carry Standards
Led by the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Devon, Rear Admiral Chris Snow CBE DL
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
Response: We will remember them.
11.00 am 'Last Post' by the Salamanca Band of the Rifles
11.00 am TWO MINUTE SILENCE
11.02 am 'Reveille' by the Salamanca Band of the Rifles
Led by the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Devon, Rear Admiral Chris Snow CBE DL
When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today
Please join in
“O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST" Lead by the Salvation Army Band
O God our help in ages past
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Beneath the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight,
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.
Amen
God grant us the grace to live our life in the light of the life eternal. Bless each one of us with the wisdom to use aright the time that that is given to us, that is it may be freely spent in the service of all God’s people.
And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with us this day, and for always, and for always.
Amen.
Please join in
God save our gracious King!
Long live our noble King!
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the King.
The Lord Mayor will make a small speech and will then invite civilians and Service Units to lay wreaths or floral tributes.
WO2 Jack Daniels will invite the Lord Mayor & Vice Lord Lieutenant to visit the Service Units.
The University of Exeter’s Chapel Choir will perform the following pieces during the wreath laying and inspection of the Service Units.
- They are at Rest by Edward Elgar
- Whittacre by Edward Elgar.
- Ave Verum Corpus by W A Mozart
Please join in
'JERUSALEM'
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England’s mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England’s pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariots of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight;
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England’s green and pleasant land
The Salamanca Band of the Rifles will perform a piece of music
Exeter City Council & the Lord Mayor’s Office would like to extend its thanks to:
The Lord Mayor’s Chaplain
The Vice Lord Lieutenant
The Salvation Army Band
The University of Exeter’s Chapel Choir
The Salamanca Band of The Rifles by kind permission of their Commanding Officer – Lt Col Oliver Bevan.
Parade Instructor: WO2 Jack Daniels from the 6th Battalion of the Rifles
All serving and retired veterans, military personnel and the cadet forces
The Royal British Legion
St John’s Ambulance for supplying the First Aid
The Exeter Temple Salvation Army Band
Founded in 1881, alongside the Salvation Army's arrival in the City, has shared a long-standing relationship with Exeter City Council and local military. Established to share the Christian message, the band has accompanied congregational singing at its Friars Walk Hall and continues its weekly ministry 140 years later.
During WWI, the band led troops from Topsham Barracks to worship at Exeter Cathedral, and in 1917, it honoured fallen soldiers with a memorial service. Since 1923, when the City’s Memorial was unveiled, the band has provided music for the City's Remembrance Day service at Northernhay Gardens, and continue to do so to this day.
The band, whose members are all committed Christians, holds Tuesday rehearsals open to all and offers support to various churches and causes through year-round concerts, including a carol service at St James’ Park each December. For more information or to join, email exeter.temple@salvationarmy.org.uk.
The Salamanca Band and Bugles of The Rifles
From the late 1700s, infantry battalions each had assigned one company of light troops used to fight forward of the main body and move independently on the battlefield. These Infantrymen swapped the traditional red tunics for dark green tunics for concealment, the musket for the rifle for sharpshooting and the drum for the bugle for signalling. Thus, the Rifleman was born!
The Rifles are now the British Army’s largest infantry regiment with 7 Battalions assigned to Light Infantry, Mechanised Infantry and Armoured Infantry roles. The traditional training regimes and ethos, all honed by the famous General, Sir John Moore, are still maintained in the traditions of the Regiment today, including marching faster than the normal pace and the use of the Bugle on ceremonial and barrack routine duties.
The Salamanca Band and Bugles from 6 RIFLES are based in Exeter and are named after Wellingtons’ famous victory at Salamanca in 1812. All band personnel are reservists, and the band and bugles operate throughout the Southwest and often beyond. So far in 2023 the band have also performed in Spain, Czechia and Slovakia and other activities have included skiing and sailing.
Today, the Band are under the direction of Captain Lee Clayson, Director of Music and the Bugle Major Colour Serjeant Andy Gait. For more information or to join,
Exeter Armed Forces Covenant
Exeter City Council recognises the fantastic job that our Armed Forces do and acknowledge their hard work and their bravery.
As a Council we want to show the military community, including our veterans, that we as a City, stand united in supporting them and their families.
Exeter City Council has signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant and in turn have created the "Exeter's Armed Forces Covenant" to support this initiative.
For more information please visit: www.exeter.gov.uk/covenant/
If you would like to find out more about signing up to "Exeter's Armed Forces Covenant" please email: exeter.covenant@exeter.gov.uk
Exeter City War Memorial Poppies Panels
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, VJ &VE Day. We also mark the 85th Anniversary of the Battle of Britian. To commemorate this occasion, the City War Memorial has been adorned with panels of poppies.
This year also marks the 375th Anniversary of the formation of the Coldstream Guards
These panels were originally created to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War and were first displayed at Exeter Cathedral in 2017. They were subsequently used in 2023 to grace the City War Memorial on the 100th anniversary of its unveiling, continuing their role in remembering and honouring those who served.
Credits:
Created with an image by DZiegler - "Field of red poppy flowers in summer"