大象传媒

Introduction

Some years ago I came across a copy of a service sheet for Remembrance Sunday 11 November 1945 that I believe was attended by one of my father鈥檚 cousins, James Parkinson from Whitehaven, Cumbria. It was held at St Nicholas Church (Garrison Church), Luneberg, Germany. It is an eight-page booklet. The hymn numbers are from 鈥楢 and M.鈥� which I presume to be from 鈥楬ymns Ancient and Modern鈥�.

Unfortunately I do not have any further information about the service, such as who conducted the service, who did the readings or members of which Army units attended the service. However, as the first Armistice Day service following the end of World War Two it must have a small but significant part in its history.

The Order of Service

Service of Remembrance and Dedication

Order of Service. Sunday November 11th 1945

鈥淟est We Forget鈥�

ORDER OF SERVICE

鈥淟ord, Thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another.鈥�

HYMN 165 (A and M.)
鈥淥 GOD. Our help in ages past, 鈥�.

An Act of Memorial

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 鈥� S. John 15. Verse 13.

Let us remember all those who suffered or died in the Two World Wars

LET US REMEMBER 鈥�
Those who died in battle or in prison camps, or fell victims to disease;
Those whose bodies rest in foreign lands, or in the great deep.
All of whatsoever nation died in the service of their country.

Holy is the true light and passing wonderful, lending radiance to them that endured in the heat of conflict; from Christ they inherit a home of unfading splendour, wherein they rejoice with gladness evermore.

WE praise and bless Thy glorious name, O Lord, for the glad and willing sacrifice of those who laid down their lives that we might live; and we pray that we, like them, may follow their good examples to serve Thee, our country, and the cause of justice and freedom, till the deliverance: through Jesus Christ our Lord.

HYMN 298 (A. and M.)
PRAISE my soul, the King of Heaven, 鈥�

The Lesson
WISDOM OF SOLOMON. Chapter iii. Verses 1 鈥� 10.

The Prayers
LET US PRAY

We commend, O Lord God, into the arms of Thy mercy, those who have died in the service if their country, especially the men from the regiments and services represented here, beseeching for these Thy Son鈥檚 blessing upon all who lay down their life for their friends, and the immortal Crown of the faithful who overcome; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LET US PRAY FOR THE KING.

Almighty God, who rulest over the Kingdoms of the World, send down Thy grace upon GEORGE, Thy Servant our King, granting him a vision of thine eternal purpose. So fill him with the love of Thy laws that he may be a worthy steward of Thy good and perfect gifts.

Give him strength and wisdom to bear the burdens laid upon him at this time, that he may fulfill Thy just and righteous purposes to the benefits of this and all lands; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LET US PRAY FOR ALL WHO ARE SERVING IN THE FORCES OF THE KING.

O Almighty Lord God, the Father and Protector of all that trust in Thee. We commend to Thy protection the men of the Allied Forces, by sea, by land, and in the air; beseeching Thee to take into thine own hands, both them and the cause they still serve. Be thou their strength when they are set in the midst of so many and great dangers. Make all bold through death or life to put their trust in thee, who canst save by many or by few, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LET US PRAY FOR ALL WHO SUFFER BY REASON OF THE WAR.

Almighty and Everlasting God, the strength of them that suffer. We commend unto Thy loving kindness, all those who are stricken and suffering by reason of the War; the disabled, the blinded, the homeless, those whose minds are clouded or unhinged, all who have been bereaved of those dear to them; all whose faith in Thee has been shaken, by what they have seen or suffered. Strengthen them, O God, with Thy love for mankind, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

LET US PRAY FOR THOSE WHO MINISTER TO THE SICK AND WOUNDED

O Merciful God, whose blessed son went about doing good: uphold with Thy strength and grace, those who do service to the sick and wounded: grant to the Ministers of Thy Gospel, faithfulness and love, to doctors and nurses, skill, sympathy and patience, and to those who labour in the place of danger, Thy protection; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LET US UNITE IN THE PRAYER WHICH IS THEIRS, WHOM WE COMMEMORATE, AND OURS.

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive them that 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.

HYMN 437
For all the Saints who from their labours rest, 鈥�.

Address

The Supreme Sacrifice
O Valiant Hearts, who to your glory came, 鈥�

Act of Dedication

Let us dedicate ourselves anew to the Service of God
TO BE SAID BY ALL.

Almighty God, who hast blessed our fathers in the years that are past, help us to give ourselves with Thy giving, that men may know Thy blessing even through us, Receive us, O Lord, unworthy though we be, as this day we offer and present ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy and living sacrifice unto Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

鈥淭he Last Post鈥�

鈥淭hey shall not grow 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.鈥�
ALL 鈥� WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Reveille

The Blessing

National Anthem

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!

Conclusion

The service is obviously a 'Christian' one and the prayers are for King, country and the victims of war. Only the first verse of the National Anthem is printed in the order of service.

The citation, 鈥榃e will remember them鈥� is the fourth verse of a poem entitled 鈥楩or The Fallen鈥� by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869 鈥� 1943). It was first published in September 1914 and has been read aloud at many memorial services for the victims at war ever since.

The words of the hymns are given in full in the Order of Service booklet. I have included only the first line of each hymn in the above account. Anyone who wishes to know the words of these hymns should be able to find them from an original source.

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