After a virtual service last year, we were thankful that this year’s Remembrance Sunday took place in-person at the College. It was supported by our entire Pangbourne community. The famous words from the Kohima Epitaph, ‘For your tomorrow, we gave our today’, this year had renewed meaning, and the silence after the Last Post was especially poignant.

Former Chief Cadet Captain of the College (Head Boy) and Queen’s Gold Medallist, Major General Tom Copinger-Symes (Hesperus, 82-87), Director of Military Digitisation at Joint Forces Command, was Guest of Honour. He was assisted by Squadron Leader Samuel Hodgkinson, whose team from RAF Benson provided a flypast during our parade ceremony. 

The occasion started with a service inside the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel during which the names of the 177 Old Pangbournians and one governor who were killed in World War 2 were read out by four Upper Sixth students. It was followed by the Act of Remembrance which took place outside, around the stage of the parade ground, led by The Reverend Neil Jeffers and SSI Mr Andrew Davison.

The parade inspection was one of six this year and is one of the unique aspects of Pangbourne: no pupil knows whether they will be the one spoken to by the visiting Guest of Honour, who in the past have included Prime Ministers and Royalty.

The Marching Band provided the essential musical backbone where they played ‘Rinaldo’, ‘Scipio’, ‘Pangers March’ and ‘Heart of Oak’.The calls were played by Timmy and Last Post by Felix, which was performed from the top of Devitt Tower. The College Choir and Chamber Choir sang acapella ‘For the Fallen’ and ‘Ubi Caritas’. 

Five wreaths were laid at the front of the Chapel on behalf of the school governors, the College itself, the OP Society, the Pangbourne Parents' Association (PPA), and RAF Benson. 

Unfortunately, due to continuing challenges of COVID-19, the parade through Pangbourne village was cancelled. Instead, our Brass Ensemble led the hymns and national anthem at the outdoor service of Remembrance at the church of St James the Less. 

Remembrance Sunday 2021 was another example of both the value of our ceremonial traditions and ‘Team Pangbourne’ at its finest.

A video montage of our Remembrance Sunday can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8_rGHyFsyY