Video: Coundon children release 100 balloons as the region honours war dead

The youngsters from Victoria Lane Academy and St Joseph’s RCVA Primary, in Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, read poems and sang songs before releasing 100 red and white balloons.

Dr Bob McManners, chairman of the Bishop Auckland Civic Society, led the wreath-laying at the war memorial.

The North of England Royal Horticulture Society donated £500 to the Save Our Soldier Appeals Committee, in Coundon, near Bishop Auckland.

The pupils recently spent time planting new flowers in the garden surrounding the war memorial with help from gardeners from Durham County Council.

Committee chairman Stefa McManners said: “It was a lovely service and it was clear the children had put a lot of thought into the service. They had a real understanding about the history.”

DARLINGTON town centre came to a standstill as shoppers and visitors paid their respects on Remembrance Day.

Hundreds of people stopped in their tracks for two minutes’ silence as the clock struck 11am and the town’s largest church, St Cuthbert’s in Market Place, held a candlelight vigil throughout the morning.

A special church service also took place at the town's St Cuthbert’s Church last night, (Tuesday, November 11) attended by the 50th Signal Squadron.

The reverend of St Cuthbert’s, Robert Williamson, said the importance of remembering the fallen does not diminish as the years go by.

He said: “I think it is very important because ‘the war to end all wars’ did not end all wars; there have been hundreds since.

“Lessons have not been learnt, unfortunately, and there is still going to be a need (for war) when all else has failed to defend freedom and security.

“We have to keep an army to keep that freedom we can so easily take for granted.”

Workplaces and schools across Darlington observed the silence and it was particularly poignant at Darlington School of Mathematics and Science where a special assembly also paid homage to serving soldiers, with many pupils having relatives in the Forces.

Meanwhile, pupils at The Rydal Academy held an exhibition of wartime work they spent two days creating.

Younger year two pupils painted mostly poppies, while year six pupils studied wartime art and composed their own poems – three of which have been chosen to go on display at Durham Cathedral in the future.

The school also invited residents of the neighbouring Rydal Care Home to view the exhibition and they were treated to rabbit soup and jam tarts made by the pupils.

At Durham Tees Valley Airport, RCAF Standard Bearer, Edsel Amlin, whose father served in the RCAF, and Ena Bullement, who served in the WAAF at Goosepool during the war, were among those who paid their respects at the site’s memorial.

Darlington Civic Theatre marked Remembrance Day by opening the first night of a production of Teesside-born author Pat Barker’s Booker nominated novel, Regeneration.

The story focuses on the experiences of shell-shocked First World War officers and the author, who now lives in Durham, was due to attend.

The play will run until Saturday and tickets are available from darlingtoncivic.co.uk

A NEW clock commemorating the sacrifice on the Home Front during the First World War was unveiled in Sunderland.

The 16ft tall clock at the Wheatsheaf junction, in Monkwearmouth, commemorates the Zeppelin bombing raid which killed 16 people on April 1, 1916.

A minute’s silence was held at 11am during the ceremony to officially unveil the clock, which has replaced the concrete-plinth clock removed as part of the remodelling of the Wheatsheaf junction last year.

Sunderland's Deputy Mayor, Cllr Barry Curran said: “Every year we remember the thousands of people who made the ultimate sacrifice as they performed their duties during the First World War, and in subsequent conflicts.

"We tend to associate these sacrifices with those that were serving in places such as the Western Front. What we must never forget though is the Home Front where civilians were also caught up in conflict and this is what happened here in Sunderland with the Zeppelin raid”.

A plaque accompanies the clock which tells the story of the Zeppelin raids that hit Millfield and Deptford as well as Monkwearmouth’s Railway Station and Goods Yard killing 16 people and leaving 25 seriously injured.

The clock has been funded by the council’s North Area Committee.

Meanwhile, in Durham City a two-part service was held on both sides of the River Wear.

Staff from National Savings and Investments (NS&I), Her Majesty’s Passport Office and the developers of the Freeman’s Reach development attended a Remembrance Service, which began at Milburngate House on Framwellgate Waterside and concluded at Freeman’s Reach across the river.

The service marked the completion of the journey taken by the war memorial previously located in NS&I’s Milburngate House offices, which has now been installed in Freeman’s Reach ahead of the organisation moving into the new development next year.

The service was led by Deacon Annette Sharp, the Methodist Deacon who serves in the Durham and Deerness Methodist Circuit, which includes the city centre Methodist Churches of Elvet, North Road and Framwellgate Moor.

Acts of remembrance were also held at Durham Crown Court, where proceedings were brought to a temporary halt by the ringing of a bell in the foyer for a silence observed by judges, lawyers, defendants and visitors in the public gallery, and at Durham Police headquarters in Aykley Heads, where a short service took place in the force’s garden of remembrance.

EAST Durham College staff and students held a service around a newly-installed remembrance stone in the gardens of Houghall campus, while a two-minutes’ silence was observed at the college Peterlee sites.

College principal, Suzanne Duncan said: “It was wonderful to see so many young people wanting to take part in the two minutes silence.

“It is important that educational establishments such as our college encourage young people to take part in the Armistice Day and Remembrance tributes, helping them to understand the importance and relevance of the people and events that we remember by showing respect for all those who have given their lives in the service of our country.”

MEMBERS of an Armed Forces children’s group represented their school in an Armistice Day ceremony.

Twelve pupils of Bedale Church of England Primary School, who are part of Her Majesty’s School Heroes, joined members of the Royal British Legion and local community to lay wreaths and observe the two-minute's silence.

Teacher Linda Taylor and Darcie Talbot accompanied the children - who are part of a group that represents children of Armed Forces families, helps children settle into new schools and offers support in times of need.

Ms Taylor said: “We are extremely proud and honoured to take part and remember all those past and present members of the Armed Forces who have given their lives for us.”

The children, aged between five and ten, laid a poppy wreath at the cenotaph in Bedale before the two minute silence and a short service.

They also took part in the Royal British Legion service on Remembrance Sunday.

CHILDREN from Stokesley Community Primary School laid a wreath to mark Armistice Day at the town’s war memorial.

The town has recently re-established an official two-minute's silence at the war memorial and this year residents and members of the Royal British Legion poppy committee were joined by youngsters from the school.

Poppy Appeal organiser Alwyn Boulby said: “There was an excellent turn-out from the town and having the children there was lovely.

“They laid a wreath they had made and stayed for our short service and silence at the cenotaph.”

A CANDLELIT remembrance event to commemorate the First World War was held as part of a moving night of poems, readings and music.

The idea of the event was to lay bare the brutality of war and the performance was presented by the well-known choral group, Cantabile, at St Mary's Church, Norton Green, Norton, near Stockton.

There were words and music focusing on the stories and experiences of people at war.

Celebrated musical director Martin Dack was recruited to write music based around the poem called O Ye Who Sleep, by Moina Michael, about keeping faith with those who died in battle. It was sung by Cantabile and preceded by a reading of another First World War classic, In Flanders Fields, which established the poppy as an important symbol of remembrance.

Guests who contributed to the two-part programme included the editor of The Northern Echo, Peter Barron, Clark Adamson, regional theatre and music coach and his students and Dr Michael Cave, flautist and heart surgeon.

A spokeswoman for Cantabile said: "It was designed to take its audience on a rollercoaster journey through words and music written by and about people at war that is in equal measures heart-warming and heartbreaking."

AN ULTRA runner was well on his way to visiting 100 war memorials.

Paul Smith, who placed a wooden cross at each memorial, hopes to raise £1,914 for the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal and Help for Heroes.

The Hartlepool United fan, from Sherburn Hill, County Durham, started out the Heugh Battery at the Headland in Hartlepool at 11 minutes past midnight and ran up the coast, visiting the ‘Tommy’ statue at Seaham.

He also went to the new DLI statue in Durham Market Place.

During the effort, he said: “It’s tough going. It hurts. But it’s a small sacrifice for two worthy causes.”

This summer, Mr Smith, then 50, ran 90 miles by doing laps of Maiden Castle, Durham City.

Previously, he ran 61 miles on the shortest day of last year between St James’ Park, Newcastle, the Sunderland Stadium of Light, Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium and Hartlepool’s Victoria Park.

To sponsor him, visit virginmoneygiving.com/LordSmythe1908