Laindon War Memorial

Many of you will know that due to the development work going on by Swan Housing, the War Memorial has been relocated temporary for approximately for two years. It has been located near the Pharmacies at the back of the development.
If you have not seen it in its new position we suggest you pop along and have a look or better still turn up for the remembrance day service on Sunday 10th November at 3pm. We think you will be pleasantly surprised to see that Swan Housing, as promised have place a banner on the hoarding next to the memorial depicting all the names of local military personnel that lost their lives in the two wars.
Also on the banner is the poem by Robert Laurence Binyan – ‘For the Fallen.’

For the Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

By Robert Laurence Binyon

Let’s hope Swan will be able to find a way to include the names with the Memorial when it relocated to its final position.