Cllr James Hart is the Mayor of Hatfield Town Council, Doncaster
Last weekend was one of the proudest of my life. For 11 years I have served as a Town Councillor on Hatfield Town Council in Doncaster but this year I have been the Mayor of Hatfield and it has been an honour to lead the Remembrance events.
On Saturday afternoon myself, the Deputy Mayor and the Leader of the Council went to Hatfield Moor, which is now a nature reserve, to lay a wreath at the modest memorial to the crew of Wellington W5557 which crashed on the 27th of September 1941 killing 4 members of its Polish crew. It seemed fitting that only a handful of people were out on the rainy moor to lay a wreath and have a moments science for those four young men.
Then on Sunday after a reading at the Remembrance Service I took part in the parade from St Lawrence Church to our cemetery in Hatfield Woodhouse. Led by Hatfield Brass Band, approximately 150 people took part in the march to the cemetery and it was wonderful to see that many people commemorating Remembrance Sunday. Our Parade Marshal does so well keeping the parade at the correct pace to get to the Cenotaph at just the right time.
The parade featured many local organisations including the British Legion, St John’s Ambulance and a number of scouts, brownies and cubs groups. After the service at the Cenotaph it was heart warming to see young and old paying their respects to the war graves at the cemetery and seeing people having a catch up before the walk back to the church.
These two events were every different in their size and nature but show that no matter how we do it, it is important to remember those that have lost their lives in conflict and given the ultimate sacrifice for our country.