REMEMBRANCE services this year will have special significance as they mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. NEIL BRANDWOOD reports on how Bolton is remembering the town’s sacrifices and heroism

THE day the guns stopped at the end of the First World War is a date that has gone down in history and one we mark every year.

But to mark the centenary of the end of hostilities in 1918, a special tribute is needed and Bolton wants to make sure it remembers the thousands of people who made the ultimate sacrifice with the dignity and honour they deserve.

One of those responsible for ensuring this year’s Armistice Day commemorations are are worthy of those who gave their lives for their country is Cllr John Walsh.

“The message is very simple: men and women gave their lives for freedom so it is important that we honour and respect them,” he said.

This morning, the Astley Bridge councillor will begin the town’s Remembrance events by installing a sculpture in the grounds of Bolton Parish Church.

The artwork is the silhouette of a soldier and was created by ex-servicemen and women as part of the Remembered charity’s There But Not There campaign.

It is one of five bought by Bolton Council which will be installed at various locations throughout the borough.

“I am installing it among the three oak trees that were planted in 2014 to commemorate the outbreak of the First World War,” explained Cllr Walsh.

“It is a fitting and long-lasting memorial which will be visible from the church gate.”

As a child of the 1950s, Cllr Walsh, aged 66, was fortunate enough to belong to a generation that never had to face the full horror of war. However, he was very aware of the impact that the First World War had.

“I was a small child chorister at St George’s Church and it was very poignant to me to hear the names of the fallen being read out each Remembrance Sunday,” he said.

“I remember noticing that, often, the same surnames kept cropping up and this made me realise that families must have experienced the loss of more than one family member in the war.

“There were some senior members of the choir who had fought at Passchendaele and that also helped make it very real to me, too. It was a big part of my life and my understanding from a young age.”

Cllr Walsh’s maternal grandfather fought in the First World War.

“He lost his left leg in battle which obviously changed his lifestyle completely. I still have the walking stick which Princess Alexandra presented him with when she visited him in hospital. He was very proud of that.

“All these memories from a young age left a deep impression on me,” said Cllr Walsh.

With such an emotional connection, it is hardly surprising that Cllr Walsh is keen to ensure the town’s commemorative events are fitting and respectful.

He is the president of Bolton United Veterans Association, an organisation which his father joined in 1946 after serving in the Royal Navy. The association is the oldest and longest standing veterans organisation in the UK.

“I regard it as a great honour and privilege to be its president,” he said.

Cllr Walsh has spent four years helping to plan the town’s 1914-1918 commemorations and, amazingly, he is already well-ahead with plans for commemorating the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War.

“We need to reflect on those who served and those who are still serving, in an uncertain world it is important to reflect on the sacrifices that others made,” he said.

“It is more important than ever to remember the sacrifice, the suffering and the loss of life that saw a generation wiped out.”

“We owe them such a debt of gratitude.”

Looking to this year’s Remembrance Sunday, Cllr Walsh said he hopes there will be a big turn-out of all generations.

But, more importantly, he hopes people will take the time to reflect.

“You could be sitting at home, or out in the garden, but you can still stop what you are doing at 11am to remember.

“It would also be nice if shops closed or stopped serving for the two minutes’ silence.”

He finds it appropriate that the centenary year’s Remembrance Sunday should actually fall on the 11th day of the 11th month, but is keen to remind people that the day is not simply about those who fell in the First World War.

“There are many people who have been in wars and conflicts since then.

“People who have died, or suffered, or are still suffering, and it is important that we remember them too.

n To commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War, The Bolton News will be publishing a special armistice edition, which will be available from November 5.

It will look back on the impact of the war on Bolton and the toll it took on its families.

It will also celebrate the different roles people played to keep the town and the country going.