Banstead Village

Remembrance Sunday


When George Jack sketched his ideas for the Banstead War Memorial he could hardly have imagined the scene 100 years later.

The normally crowded High Street at Banstead was reduced to a few tens of attendees due to the current Covid-19 restrictions. The service of Remembrance was held without the long procession along the High Street where so many representatives of local organisations and hundreds of local residents and others attend to pay their respects to Banstead’s fallen.

Just before 11.00am on a slightly overcast but mild Sunday morning, Rev’d Ian Whitley read the opening prayer which was followed by the sounding of the Last Post.

Those present stood in silence whilst a number of vehicles drove through the normally closed roads. One or two drivers slowed down in recognition of the ongoing silence and the bowed heads of those in attendance.

After the sounding of the Reveille Mike Sawyer and Tim Snuggs from the British Legion laid the wreaths on behalf of all the local organisations whilst Richard Mantle announced each one.

Following the Lord’s prayer The Kohima Epitaph was recited by
Mike Sawyer:

When you go home, tell them of us and say,
For your tomorrow, we gave our today.


Even in these difficult times, the people of Banstead, albeit in smaller numbers at the service, did not forget the men of the local villages who never came back.