Shrewsbury Town pay their respects to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice
Shrewsbury Town would like to pay tribute to servicemen and women who have lost their lives in service.Shrewsbury Town visited the local war graves at Shrewsbury Cemetery on Thursday, where over 200 war veterans are buried.
Chairman Roland Wycherley, Brian Caldwell, Paul Hurst, Adam El-Abd and Youth Team Captain George Hughes were all present for the ceremony which was conducted by Club Chaplain Phil Cansdale.
The club representatives marked the occasion with two minutes of silence, where they had chance to reflect on those who have been lost.
Phil Cansdale said: “We’re here today to honour the countless men and women who lost their lives during the world wars of the twentieth century.
“This year in particular we’re remembering the Battle of the Somme in 1916, one of the defining moments of the First World War.
“There are well over two hundred names here in Shrewsbury Cemetery of those who died in war, each one an individual life and a story of a local family.
“We honour their courage and we remember their sacrifice. For many of us too our minds turn to the areas of conflict around the world today, and both the plight of those caught up in war as well as those who risk their lives to fight for peace”
This weekend's game will see a minutes silence take place before the game and will provide a chance for fans pay their respects
CEO Brian Caldwell said: "It’s a time when we should always look back and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to allow us to live as we do today.
"We therefore will have a minutes silence prior to the match against Oxford as we take time to remember."
Meanwhile, Shrewsbury Town were invited to take part in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Living Memory Project to remember all those buried in war graves in the UK and mark the centenary of The Battle of the Somme.
The CWGC cares for 300,000 graves and memorials throughout the UK in more than 12,000 locations. Many lie in hidden corners of cemeteries and local communities are often unaware of their existence.
The project encourages clubs at every level of football to unite and remember all those buried in CWGC graves.
There are four key aims to the project – discover, explore, remember and champion – which will provide ways for people connected to football to learn about this important point in British history.