'It's up to us to keep it going' Potters Bar people come together to remember war dead

2:20pm Sunday 8th November 2009

By Sarah Cosgrove

THE sacrifices of service people who died for their country in war were remembered today in Potters Bar.

The commemoration started with a parade of veterans and representatives of the Air Training Core, Hertfordshire Police, St John's Ambulance, Scouts and Guides from St Mary's Church in The Walk to Potters Bar War Memorial in the High Street.

Heads bowed as Royal British Legion branch president, Don Wiltshire, who served in North Africa in the Second World War, said the traditional remembrance service words: “They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old.

Among those laying wreaths were veterans and their families, Oakmere councillor John Donne, who was representing the Mayor of Hertsmere, Grant Threadgold from the Royal British Legion, Elsie Sheppard from the Royal British Legion's women's section and those represented on the parade.

Councillors Shirley Legate and Tugay Sevincli also from Oakmere, and Cllr Paul Hodgson-Jones from Parkfield ward also attended.

Chairman of the organising Royal British Legion branch, which covers Potters Bar, Little Heath, Bentley Heath and South Mimms, said: “I think it all went off very well and there were more people than we've had before.”

Cllr Donne said: “It went very well indeed and it was a very good turnout. It's very nice to see so many people come out. I think it's very sad when people just don't come to remember, there has been such a loss of life and these people gave their lives for us.”

Among the people who came were three generations of the Hall family, of Ashwood Road, Potters Bar, who brought a cross for their relative Walter Trevallion who died in the Second World War.

Tammy Hall, 37, a full time mother, said: “We come every year I think we have to or in the future there won't be any people coming to remember. I want my children to grow up knowing really if it wasn't for these servicemen we might not be here.”

Publican husband, Richard, 33, said he had been coming to the service with his mother, Wendy, as long as he could remember.

“It's just two minutes out of your day, it doesn't cost anything and it's up to us to keep it going.”