Ely Cathedral is playing its part in an international commemoration marking 100 years since the guns fell silent at the end of World War I. Battle’s Over takes place on November 11th 2018, with events throughout the United Kingdom and several other locations overseas, including New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Bermuda, France, Belgium, Canada, the United States and Germany.
At 6am on 11 November, Piper Gary Kernaghan from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, will play Battle’s O’er, a traditional Scottish air played after a battle, outside the West Door of Ely. At the very same time over 1,000 other lone pipers will be playing the tune in individual locations, across the world, including many Cathedrals and churches. Following this short ceremonial, a specially written tribute will be read out and the Dean of Ely, The Very Revd Mark Bonney, will say prayers.
The day will continue with a number of ceremonies to mark Armistice. A special Remembrance Service will take place at 10.30am at the Cathedral which will include a poppy drop from the Octagon Tower in memory of all of those who have lost their lives.
At 4.00pm there will be a Solemn Requiem Mass marking the centenary of the Armistice, led by the Cathedral choirs who join forces with The Ely Sinfonia to present the Requiem Mass, Op. 9 by Maurice Duruflé.
Finally at 6.55pm buglers will sound the Last Post at more than 1,000 locations, where beacons will be lit in a tribute called Beacons of Light, signifying the light of peace that emerged from the darkness of four years of war. This will be followed by over 1,000 church and cathedrals ringing their bells as part of Ringing Out for Peace organised in association with the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, while more than 140 town criers will perform a specially written Cry for Peace Around the World, the first of them in New Zealand and then across the globe through the various time zones.
These unified ceremonies have been organised by Pageantmaster Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR. He has organised major royal celebrations and international events and has been working on Battle’s Over for more than four years. “It’s wonderful to see the event being embraced by so many organisations and communities in this country and around the world. The centenary of the end of the Great War is an opportunity to acknowledge the enormous sacrifice made the millions of men and women who died or were wounded, as well as those who worked tirelessly at home in our fields and factories. It has been a privilege to work on this project with the support of so many amazing organisations said Peek.”
Press release from Ely Cathedral
