Stratford upon Avon Boat Club observed a two minutes’ silence on this Remembrance Sunday to honour those who fell in the World Wars and other conflicts. The Club’s thoughts were led by the Club’s President, Paul Stanton
Wreaths were laid at the memorial in the Club grounds by the youngest member Emily Cryer and Colin Upchurch, one of the oldest members:
seventy six years separate their rowing experience!
All the crews and rowers came off the water during a busy Remembrance Sunday to attend the act of remembrance. Said Steve Wellstead, Stratford Boat Club’s Junior Co-ordinator, “The memorial is literally at the heart of the Club and our sporting life goes on around it: this was an opportunity to stop, reflect and remember those Stratford Boat Club members who had died so that we can live in peace and enjoy our sport.”
This year there was the added poignancy of marking of the hundredth anniversary of the First World War. Amongst other members of the Club who died because of WW1 was Norman Kinman: the Club was honoured that Norman’s grandson, Chris Kinman, also laid a wreath at the Club’s memorial. Chris was accompanied by his wife, son in law and daughters, Norman Kinman’s great grandchildren. Contact was made with the Kinman family after extensive research by the Club’s Archivist Mark Dewdney
The ceremony was further enhanced by the playing of reveille by the Club’s Piper Joe Moore: coincidently, Chris Kinman and Joe hadn’t seen each other for some fifty years after being at school together in the Warwickshire area!
Great pictures by David Phillips and Trevor Tiller: many thanks!For media coverage, see Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/wreaths-for-fallen-laid-at-stratford-boat-club-memorial and page eleven and Stratford Herald page eight