Chance to honour the fallen: Remembrance poetry competition

Paying respects...a quite moment of reflection at last year's ceremony Picture: Colin Grainger

Colin Grainger , Editor Saturday, October 20, 2012
11:00 AM

The Recorder is once again joining forces with the Royal British Legion to give local people the chance to show their talents, pay tribute to those who gave their lives in battle so we can enjoy the freedom we have today – and win a prize.

NRC Wk 41-12 British Legion Logo

Our annual Remembrance poetry competition has produced some excellent work over the last decade and we hope this year’s will maintain those standards.

There will be two categories in the competition. To mark Remembrance, Sunday, on November 11, we want writers aged up to 16 to compose a poem about the fallen of both World Wars and other conflicts. We also want adults to show their literary expertise.

The Recorder and the Legion’s East Ham and District branch are running the contest as usual to honour those who sacrificed their lives.

The inaugural competition in 2003 was a great success, as the subsequent years, have been. The competition has gone from strength to strength.

We hope you will be inspired again this autumn to write about your feelings.

Writers of the two best poems in both age groups will receive Tesco gift tokens to the value of £50 and £25 supplied by the Recorder.

In a tradition that has now become a special part of the annual Remembrance Day Service at the East Ham Cenotaph in High Street South, winners will have the chance to read their poems out in public, or they can have a friend or Editor Colin Grainger read them out.

Legion branch spokesman Ken Hill said: “Our members would love to see and hear what both young people and adults feel about the fallen.

“The reading of poems during the wreath-laying and other parts of the service is an emotional part of the event.”

You have until November 3 to submit entries, either by post to: Remembrance Sunday Poetry Competition, The Editor, Colin Grainger, Newham and Stratford Recorders, Media House, 539 High Road, Ilford, 1G1 1UD, or email them to colin.grainger@newhamrecorder.co.uk.