Remembrance under threat

Remembrance under threat

20 October 2021

ROYAL British Legion officials in Downpatrick have warned that next month’s Remembrance Sunday 

parade could be the last to take place in the town.

There are currently just a handful of members to run the branch and they have revealed that if more 

people don’t come forward to help, the annual inter-denominational 

parade to remember the dead of two world wars and other conflicts won’t take place.

While members hope that the annual parade which has been held for generations can continue, they have warned this will not be possible if there is not an injection of new blood.

This week, an appeal has been issued to ex-servicemen and women who live locally to get involved with the Downpatrick branch which 

several years ago was forced to close its base at Church Street with the building subsequently sold.

Faced with dwindling numbers for the past number of years, the branch’s current chairman Andy Campbell and his deputy Raymond Martin, say things cannot continue as they are, suggesting that in future there will be no Remembrance Sunday parade, with just a short wreath-laying ceremony being held at the town’s war memorial.

The branch currently has just six members and while poppies will continue to be distributed for people to sell across the area and in Downpatrick town centre, officials say it is getting harder to keep going.

“It gets harder every year,” said Mr Campbell. “We need new blood to keep us alive, otherwise the branch may no longer exist and the cross-community parade will sadly not take place.

“The workload falls on the shoulders of just a few of us and while next month’s traditional parade from The Mall to the War Memorial will go ahead, we don’t know what will happen in 2022.

“If we don’t get more help and other organisations don’t come forward to take part, the parade will not go ahead. While that is something we never could have envisaged several years ago, it is now a real possibility. 

“We just don’t have strength in numbers. We need new members and hope people will come forward to help as the current membership isn’t getting any younger. We cannot continue as we are.”

Mr Campbell said the Downpatrick branch requires new people to help, explaining that there is not a big commitment involved, but strength in numbers would be a great help.

He said the bottom line is that the few remaining branch members have run out of steam, confirming that the current treasurer is also to relinquish her post.

“I will soon be 83 and can’t carry on for much longer,” Mr Campbell continued. 

“I will help with the parade this year and continue to stand on the street selling poppies and also place them at 170 war graves across the district. But I can’t keep doing it.

“Unless we can secure new members, the annual Remembrance Sunday parade as we know it will be no more. While that is really disappointing, it’s the reality of the situation we are facing.”

Mr Martin said when the branch sold its Church Street base, the remaining members committed themselves to continue organising the parade and distributing and selling poppies.

“We have honoured this commitment for the past six years but time is catching up with those of us who are left and we need help. We look at the remembrance parades in Killyleagh, Ballynahinch and Newcastle and we would love to have those sorts of numbers in Downpatrick, but it’s no longer possible.

“We would love to see new members and there are a number of ex-service personnel in our area and it would be great if some of them came forward to join our branch to provide us with some certainty moving forward.”

Mr Martin said a number of youth organisations which previously took part in the Downpatrick parade no longer operate which has impacted on the numbers, revealing that in 2019, just 19 people were on parade on Remembrance Sunday.

“The youth organisations were an integral part of the parade and their absence is a big loss,” he continued.

“If there are other groups and organisations who would like to join us on November 14 we would be delighted to see them and perhaps former ex-service personnel.”

Parade participants are asked to meet up at The Mall in English Street at 2.30pm for the 3pm parade to the War Memorial at New Bridge Street for the wreath-laying ceremony and short cross-community service.