Havengore Leads Remembrance Service on the Thames

With the passing of the last British servicemen to see active service in World War I during the last few months and the rising number of tragic deaths of serving British soldiers in Afghanistan, November 11th takes on a special significance this year. To coincide with a national service of commemoration is to be held at Westminster Abbey on the 11th November 2009 and for the first time ever, The MV Havengore will lead an act of remembrance actually on the river, observing the two minute silence at 11am and the subsequently laying of a wreath on the waters of the Thames.

(PRWEB) November 7, 2009 -- With the passing of the last British servicemen to see active service in World War I during the last few months and the rising number of tragic deaths of serving British soldiers in Afghanistan, November 11th takes on a special significance this year.

To coincide with a national service of commemoration to be held at Westminster Abbey on the 11th November 2009 and for the first time ever, The MV Havengore will lead an act of remembrance actually on the river, observing the two minute silence at 11am and the subsequent laying of a wreath on the waters of the Thames.

The MV Havengore, has a long history in the service of the Port of London and particularly with regard to her role as a key part of Sir Winston Churchill’s State Funeral arrangements.

Accompanied by duty boats from the various river services and other vessels, Havengore will cover much the same route as she did during Sir Winston’s State Funeral, departing from St Katharine’s Pier and passing many of London’s major landmarks on her journey to the waters just up river from the Houses of Parliament. A remembrance service will then commence.

As Big Ben chimes 11am, the two-minute silence will be observed and then the service will continue, culminating in the casting of a wreath onto the waters of the Thames as a bugler plays the Last Post.

The following organisations have expressed a willingness to take part in the remembrance service

   The Company of Watermen and Lightermen
   The Metropolitan Police
   The Port of London Authority
   The Royal National Lifeboat Institution
   The Tower of London.

The Rev. Roger Hall (Chaplain to the Tower of London) has kindly agreed to officiate and the award winning Cotswold Male Voice Choir will provide a choir of ten plus a choirmaster. The Regular Army will provide a bugler and ‘Chic’ Mackie has very kindly agreed to act piper.

Schedule of Events

09.45 - The party to go onboard Havengore will assemble near the Tower of London. The onboard party will include senior representatives from those organisations taking part, plus the chaplain, choir, piper and bugler. The exact location and timing will be advised in due course. This party, led by the piper will walk in procession down onto St Katharine’s Pier and board the Havengore.    

10.00 - Havengore will depart St Katharine’s Pier and then rendezvous with an escort of the other vessels taking part in the waters in front of the Tower of London and close to both Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast.

10.40 – The group of vessels will arrive in the waters in front of St. Thomas’s Hospital (and just passed the Houses of Parliament).

10.45 - These vessels will then take station towards the south bank of the river with Havengore in the centre of the group. A religious service will start at approximately 1045-1050hrs on the afterdeck of Havengore conducted by the Rev. Roger Hall (Chaplain to the Tower of London, the MOD, HMS President and BLESMA – the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association). Via Havengore’s public address system the service will be audible to other vessels in her immediate vicinity and potentially also to onlookers on the Albert Embankment in front of St Thomas’s Hospital.

11.00 - As Big Ben starts to strike the hour at 1100hrs and the two minute silence begins, Havengore will sound her hooter and again to mark its ending. The remembrance service will then continue for about another 15 minutes, ending with Havengore pulling out into mid stream and the dropping a wreath of poppies into the water as the bugler plays the Last Post and Reveille. The commemoration will then be over.

11.50 - Havengore will then make the return to St Katharine’s Pier by about 1150hrs allowing those who wish to, to disembark there

This route will pass by/under the following (not an exhaustive list): Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, The offices of the Mayor of London, HMS Belfast, London Bridge, The replica of the Golden Hinde, The Globe Theatre, Southwark Bridge, The Tate Modern, St Pauls Cathedral, Blackfriars Bridge, Hungerford Railway Bridge, HMS President, HQS Wellington, The Submariners’ Memorial, Waterloo Bridge, The London Eye, The RAF Memorial, County Hall (the former headquarters of the LCC and GLC), Westminster Bridge, The Houses of Parliament /Big Ben and St Thomas’s Hospital. It also seems particularly appropriate at this juncture to record that this is much the same route as Havengore travelled on 30th January 1965, at the culmination of Sir Winston Churchill’s State Funeral.

ENDS
    
Media Resources

We have an extensive library of images of Havengore, both past and present suitable for print and TV usage.

The original TV footage of Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral procession on the Thames featuring Havengore is also available on request.

Several spokespeople are available for interview both prior to the event and on the day itself. Please contact me more for details on individuals available for press interviews.

A designated press team will be on location during event to manage any press enquiries/interview requests on the day. PR Officer for the day is Jenna Gould who will be contactable on 07958 263 708.

For images, footage, to arrange an interview or to discuss a feature idea relating to Havengore and The River Thames Act of Remembrance, please contact Jenna Gould on 01603 283 503, mobile: 07958 263 708 or email jenna (at) mediajems.co.uk

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