Remembrance Ringing

Mounted on the wall in Linslade tower, is a marble plaque in remembrance of the four ringers who gave their lives in the Great War.

Each year, the ringers of St Barnabas place poppies on the memorial and ring with half muffled bells in remembrance of these, and other brave young men who have given here lives in both World wars, and more recent conflicts.

Last year, it was 100 years since the passing of Charles Arthur Howe, and the band it would be fitting to ring in remembrance of Charles in particular. Curious about Charles, the band went looking for any information about him.

It soon became apparent from the newspaper clippings we found that Charles had been a popular young man in the town and the people of Linslade had gone to great lengths to pay their respects to him when he died. We also realised that he had a brother who had survived the war, married and had children of his own. Perhaps more remarkably, a member of the church knew of the family and put us in touch with Charles nephew!

Bill and his family were delighted that we had remembered their fallen relative and came along to the church to meet the ringers and listen to us ring in remembrance of Charles.

Sadly we weren’t able to score the quarter peal that we had planned, and despite several further attempts, it was never achieved. However, we consoled ourselves with the knowledge that 100 years previously the then local band had rung ‘a long extent of Grandsire’ at his funeral and so we had at least, repeated that performance.

This year we went in search of the family of Robert Joseph Seddon. We know that Robert was killed in action at the battle of Ancre. There are less references to Robert made in the local newspaper at the time, and no one knew if any family remained in the area. We believe that Robert had a brother who lived out his married life in Luton. . Roberts’ brother died at the age of 76. We couldn’t find any evidence of them having had children, and so the trace for the family went cold.

Despite ill health and problems with shoulder injuries six band members gathered together on Monday 14th November and rang a very respectable quarter peal of Single oxford Minor in remembrance of our fallen hero. The bells were half muffled in respect of Robert and Remembrance Day.

There are two further names on the plague, and we shall, of course do our very best to ring in remembrance of them.