100 years ago, the First World War ended, and a new world began…In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the Great War ended. Over the span of four years, the First World War had claimed the life of 20 million soldiers and civilians.
On 11 November 2018, we will be holding Remembrance Day services in each of our three parishes: Ashington, Washington and Wiston.
This will be the first time for many years, that a Remembrance Service has taken place in St Mary’s Wiston, where there are 11 names on the Roll of Honour in the church, and, amongst others, we will be remembering:
Peter & Frederick
Charles Allen
Lived in Hole Street, Wiston
Raymond Carter
Aged 21, lived at Polecats Cottage, Wiston, Born in Washington
Peter Clements
Aged 26, lived at Yew Tree Cottage, Wiston, Born in Steyning
Charles Dalmon
Aged 22, lived at Malthouse, Wiston,
Born in Steyning
Frederick Charles Maple
Aged 27, lived at Round Robin,
born in Wiston
Harry & George Meeten
Lived at Yew Tree Cottage, Wiston, both born in Wiston
George Ernest Message
Aged 29, lived at Wiston Post Office
William Terry
Born in Wiston
Edward Punch
The famous ‘Steyning Poem’ will also be read. This poem by a young officer in the 5th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment serving in France, was written half an hour before ‘going over the top’ to face the guns of World War I. Using the pen name ‘Philip Johnson’, John Stanley Purvis later became a clergyman in York Cathedral,
who fought in the Battle of the Somme.
I can’t forget the lane that goes from Steyning to the Ring
In summer time, and on the downs how larks and linnets sing
High in the sun. The wind comes off the sea, and oh, the air!
I never knew till now that life in old days was so fair.
But now I know it in this filthy rat-infested ditch,
Where every shell must kill or spare, and God alone knows which.
And I am made a beast of prey, and this trench is my lair –
My God, I never knew till now that those days were so fair,
And we assault in half-an-hour, and it’s a silly thing:
I can’t forget the lane that goes from Steyning to the Ring
2000 years ago, another ‘Great War’ ended: the ‘War with God’. The tragic condition of humankind is that essentially, we declared war on God when we chose to disobey Him, and there continues to be an attempt to exist in a state of hostility towards Him, often fighting against the very One who seeks to save us. The good news is that the Son of God came to earth to reconcile God and humans. Jesus bridged the gap between God and human beings, fulfilling His purpose,
“to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility through Christ” (Ephesians 2: 15-16).
In other words, God reconciled us to himself. Jesus broke down the barrier, and as former enemies of God, we are now made His own children. And so now we can approach God and call Him ‘Our Father’, and also proclaim with confidence that indeed “the War is over”.
Philly Pearson-Miles is the Church Administrator. She is married to Patrick and they live on the Wiston Estate with their two sons and a springer spaniel!