We sometimes feel our 82 years, and more often than not are the oldest in a group. Last night we went to the British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Theatre Royal York and sitting amongst the medal bedecked heroes of the war we were just too young to serve in, we felt younger. We almost felt akin to the wonderful juniors of Sheriff Hutton School Choir who accompanied the York Ladies on stage in the songs of the second world war and re-enacted the evacuations of their long ago predecessors from the bombing. We were like the oldest of them at the start of the war and fortunately lived through it.
From our front row seats, we relished every moment of the audience participation, the Heavy Cavalry and Cambria Band under Captain Sean Riley and Narration by Jim Hammond. The singers and soloists, Janina Sweetenham, Richard Kay and musician Staff Sergeant George Horne of the Hero Singers, who sang 'Bring Him Home', were accompanied by Malcolm Maddocks. Very funny moments were added by The 'Old Codger', Brian Coates, in his Chelsea Pensioners' uniform. We had a parade of the B-Legion flags, an audience wartime sing song and flag waving, memories of the happy and dangerous times we lived through, Hymns, Prayers, the Last Post, Act of Homage, Reveille, Prayers and Blessing, Nimrod, Rule Britannia and the National Anthem.
We sat beside, and talked to, the proud mother of Rose Philpot, a member of the school choir from Sheriff Hutton.
Although Rule Britannia does not have the quite same relevance these days, those times and people should never be forgotten and we should always be proud to join together and do our best for our country.
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