Sandown’s Christ Church commemorated the 80th anniversary of D-Day with a special Pentecost service recently. The special event featured readings from the Island’s Lord-Lieutenant Susie Sheldon JP and High Sheriff Graham Biss BEM DL, as well as the D-Day 80 poem read by local school children Lexi Summers, Layla-Mai Covell and Harry Wackrill, with the service led by Rev Mark Williams. Dave Plummer conducted Sandown and Shanklin Military Band, with bugler Stuart Kent playing the Last Post and Reveille, with ex-service personnel Frank Baldry and Ian Ward BEM saying the Exhortation and Kohima Epitaph, and the congregation of 150 led in prayers by Church Warden Alec Weaver. Mrs Sheldon said:
“With the Island, and the nation, preparing to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, the service was a fitting tribute to the memories of those involved at Normandy and the liberation of Europe.”
Mr Biss added:
“It was good to see local school children recognising the Anniversary, with service personnel and local community groups involved in the Service, especially as the Christ Church was the Garrison Church for Sandown.”
The commemoration also marked the 80th anniversary of the battle of Monte Cassino, and concluded with the Mayors of Sandown and Shanklin, with the Chair of Lake Parish Council, signing the Armed Forces Covenant with Covenant Champion Councillor Ian Dore.
Did they have to pay 50p to have a pee,
that’s the price you have to pay in Sandown in 2024.
Our Fathers and their Fathers would be disgusted, they did not
fight for our freedoms so we have to pay 50p to have a pee.