Churchill House Care Home residents honour the fallen on Remembrance Day
Residents at the Churchill House Care Home in Ludlow, joined the nation in marking Remembrance Day on Tuesday, November 11, with a series of special commemorations honouring those who have served and died in wars and conflicts.
Residents who lived through WWII also shared their personal experiences and memories as they remembered the sacrifices made by those fighting on the frontline and their families at home.
A group of residents attended the Ludlow Armistice Service at the Ludlow Peace Memorial at 11am, following a civic procession through the town centre. The poignant service provided an opportunity for the community to come together in remembrance.
In the days leading up to Remembrance Day, residents at Churchill House contributed 50 handmade poppies to a striking Community Poppy Waterfall installation. The display, which can be seen on Neptune at The Georgian House behind the Peace Memorial by Ludlow Market, has been created with contributions from across the town, including care homes, schools, and scout and brownie groups.
Within the home, residents who were unable to attend the town service marked the day with a two-minute silence at 11am. Staff and residents also created a special memory wall featuring photographs from wartime as part of the Churchill House Remembrance Day display.
For several residents who lived through WWII, the day brought back vivid memories. One 96-year-old lady recalled being about 11 years old and living in Batchcott near Richards Castle when she witnessed a distant fire that seemed to last for hours. She said: "We found out the next day that what we saw was Coventry burning after being bombed – it was over 70 miles away.”
An 89-year-old resident shared her memory of an aeroplane coming down near Craven Arms, close to the army barracks. Two airmen had jumped from the plane, and whilst their fate remained unknown, she vividly remembered how two local girls collected the parachutes and made themselves a blouse each from the silk.
Another resident, aged 84, recalled her father serving in the RAF as a fighter pilot who shot down two German planes. She remembered going down to the air raid shelters as a three-year-old and singing with another little girl to keep their spirits up. Her father later travelled to Tripoli to find the grave of his brother, who had been killed in the conflict.
Selina Broome, Churchill House home manager, said: “Remembrance Day holds special significance for our residents, many of whom have personal memories of the Second World War and the sacrifices made by so many. It was wonderful to see residents actively participating in the town's commemorations and sharing their own wartime experiences with us. We're proud that Churchill House residents could play such an active role in Ludlow's Remembrance Day tribute.”
Churchill House provides residential, respite, dementia, 24-hour nursing and palliative care for up to 62 people.
