Again this year, several of our provincial trumpeters were out paying their respect while sounding the Last Post & Reveille at various Remembrance Day Parades up and down the county.

Standing proud as Buckinghamshire Freemasons.

Michael Power - Vale 6632
Lee Buckingham - Haddenham 8944
Mally Baxter - Industria 5214
Andrew Lofthouse - Industria 5214
Peter Stockdale - Industria 5214
Richard Vanryne - Temple Manor 8143 

Remembrance Day Sunday in Buckinghamshire drew communities together in solemn tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for freedom. At Beaconsfield, the heart of the county's remembrance commemorations, Provincial Grand Master Tim Anders led Buckinghamshire Freemasonry in a poignant wreath-laying ceremony. 

In Marlow, Assistant Provincial Grand Master Mark Harry led a sizeable group of Freemasons as they joined veterans, local dignitaries, families, and young people from the town. Their presence was a clear testament to the strength and diversity of the Province’s membership, which included those in regalia, military uniform, and civilian clothing. 

At the Bletchley memorial, Assistant Provincial Grand Master James Blackhurst took on the honour of laying a wreath on behalf of the Province. This year’s ceremony was especially significant because women Freemasons from the area were also present, visibly supporting the act of remembrance. Their participation reflected the inclusive nature of modern Freemasonry and the growing involvement of female Brethren in public ceremonies. 

Elsewhere in the Province, Aylesbury’s Freemasons were represented at their local ceremony by W Bro Webster Springer, who joined local officials, veterans, and families to mark the day. In addition, numerous other Freemasons participated in services at Newport Pagnell, Buckingham, and Winslow, ensuring that the Province’s respect and remembrance were widely demonstrated throughout the county. Each local service bore its own character but shared a common purpose: to honour the fallen and express gratitude for sacrifices made in the name of freedom and peace.
Winslow played host to an Armistice Day luncheon for veterans and their families at The Bell Hotel. Organised by W Bro Paul French, the lunch brought together former service personnel, Freemasons, and members of the public in an atmosphere of warmth and mutual appreciation. Guests enjoyed a meal and shared memories, building new friendships in the spirit of gratitude.

Coordinating these multiple commemorations and ensuring strong Freemason representation across Buckinghamshire was Jim Hunt, the Province’s Community Engagement Officer. His efforts kept members informed, encouraged participation, and ensured that each event ran smoothly and respectfully. Through his dedication, over 100 Freemasons were enabled to play an active part in acts of remembrance, reinforcing the shared bonds of service and fraternity that define Buckinghamshire Freemasonry’s enduring public service and community presence.

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal 
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; 
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound, 
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, 
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, 
To the end, to the end, they remain.

For the Fallen
By Laurence Binyon

Members of the Province of Buckinghamshire attended the Freemasons National Service of Remembrance yesterday at the National Memorial Arboretum.  The wreaths making their journey in advance last week.

Freemasons from Buckinghamshire joined Brethren from across England and Wales today for the National Freemasons’ Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Representatives from all Companion Orders and both Ladies Grand Lodges attended the moving ceremony, uniting in remembrance of those who gave their lives in service to others.

Buckinghamshire was represented by RW Tim Anders, Provincial Grand Master, who laid the Craft wreath, escorted by W Bro John York carrying the Provincial Standard. E Comp Mel Shah, Second Provincial Grand Principal, laid the Royal Arch wreath, escorted by E Comp Steve Cleary with the Royal Arch Standard, alongside VW Bro Neil Robertson.

The service included the Exhortation, Last Post, two-minute silence, and the Rouse, followed by wreaths laid from Provinces and Orders nationwide.

RW Tim Anders said:
“It is a privilege for Buckinghamshire Freemasons to stand alongside our Brethren, Companions, and Sisters from across the country in remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.”

A Special Duty of Honour and Remembrance

On Saturday 25th October, members of the Hallstone Chapter Widows Sons Masonic Bikers Association, were honoured to be tasked with a special duty on behalf of Buckinghamshire Province.

The brethren were entrusted to deliver two memorial wreaths — one representing the Holy Royal Arch and the other the Craft — to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

These wreaths will be laid by our Provincial Grand Master, RW Tim Anderson, Deputy Provincial Grand Master, RW Neil Robertson, and Provincial Scribe Ezra, Excellent Companion Mel Shah, as part of the Province’s tribute to the fallen on 1st November.

The Journey Begins
The day began early, with 14 members meeting at Beaconsfield Masonic Centre at 8:30 a.m.
Accompanied by our Provincial Grand Master — himself a biker and proud member of the Hallstone Chapter — we received the Holy Royal Arch wreath from Provincial Scribe Ezra, Excellent Companion Mel Shah.

After sharing coffee and a quick photo opportunity, the Hallstone Chapter riders set off north on the M40, heading for Tamworth Masonic Centre — just as the weather gods decided to inflict a few heavy showers upon us!

A Warm Welcome in Tamworth.
Upon arrival, the riders were warmly welcomed and hosted by the local brethren. Here, they rendezvoused with representatives from some of the 46 other chapters of the Widows Sons Masonic Bikers Association.
After more coffee, good-natured banter, and a detailed ride briefing, the convoy — numbering around 210 motorcycles — departed at 1:00 p.m. Ride marshals guided the procession safely to the National Memorial Arboretum, following a route carefully chosen to allow film crews to capture the full spectacle of the ride.
Thankfully, the weather gods relented, blessing the group with sunshine for the remainder of the day

At the National Memorial ArboretumUpon arrival, the Hallstone Chapter quickly assembled for a photo shoot near the main entrance,  proudly displaying both wreaths and the Chapter banner.

The team then received the Craft wreath from Greg Kirby, Chairman of the WSMBA, before proceeding to the Masonic Memorial Garden, where John “Grumpy” Perridge led a moving rendition of The Unbroken Chain — a fitting and heartfelt tribute to those Masons who made the  ultimate sacrifice.

A Moment of Pride and Reflection
The team took full advantage of the beautiful surroundings for further photographs, particularly in front of the two symbolic pillars at the entrance to the garden — a proud moment marking another meaningful contribution by the Widows Sons in support of our Masonic family and the enduring act of remembrance.

It was truly a fantastic day and an honour for Hallstone Chapter to play our part in this special event

Today marks the anniversary of D’Day, a day along with many others that marks a very important time in history for us and Europe, one that mustn’t be forgotten. 
We hope you don’t mind this lengthy post, but we’d like to summarise things.  

D’Day: 
The Invasion of Normandy. On June 6, 1944 the Allied Forces of Britain, America, Canada, and France attacked German forces on the coast of Normandy, France. With a huge force of over 150,000 soldiers, the Allies attacked and gained a victory that became the turning point for World War II in Europe.
D’day was the largest amphibious invasion in history, with more than 4,000 ships, 11,000 warplanes and 156,000 Allied troops. Sadly, more than 4,400 Allied troops died that day.

Why is it called D’day?
Decision Day? Doomsday? Dreadnought Day?
None of the above. The D simply stands for “day.”
The designation was traditionally used for the date of any important military operation or invasion, according to the National World War II Museum.
Thus, the day before June 6, 1944, was known as D-1 and the days after were D+1, D+2, D+ and so on.

Leading up to the Battle:
Germany had invaded France and was trying to take over all of Europe including Britain. However, Britain and the United States had managed to slow down the expanding German forces. They were now able to turn on the offensive. 
To prepare for the invasion, the Allies amassed troops and equipment in Britain. They also increased the number of air strikes and bombings in German territory. Right before the invasion, over 1000 bombers a day were hitting German targets. They bombed railroads, bridges, airfields, and other strategic places in order to slow down and hinder the German army. 

Deception:
The Germans knew that an invasion was coming. They could tell by all the forces that were gathering in Britain as well as by the additional air strikes. What they didn't know was where the Allies would strike. In order to confuse the Germans, the Allies tried to make it look like they were going to attack north of Normandy at Pas de Calais. 

The Weather:
Although the D-Day invasion had been planned for months, it was almost cancelled due to bad weather. General Eisenhower finally agreed to attack despite the overcast skies. Although the weather did have some affect and on the Allies ability to attack, it also caused the Germans to think that no attack was coming. They were less prepared as a result. 

Interesting Facts about D-Day:
The troops needed the light of a full moon to see to attack. For this reason there were only a few days during a month when the Allies could attack. This led Eisenhower to go ahead with the invasion despite the bad weather.
The Allies wanted to attack during high tide as this helped the ships to avoid obstacles put in the water by the Germans.

Although June 6 is often called D-Day, D-Day is also a generic military term that stands for the day, D, of any major attack.

The overall military operation was called "Operation Overlord". The actual landings at Normandy were called "Operation Neptune".
The Five Beach Landings:
Utah - USA
Omaha - USA
Gold - Great Britain 
Juno - Canada
Sword - Great Britain 

Where do the names come from ?
On the American side, the names chosen correspond to a state, Utah, and to a city Nebraska, Omaha. They were selected at random : at the moment when the operations were being named, a general asked two NCOs where they were from.
For British and Canadians, the names correspond to the abbreviations for certain types fish : goldfish, swordfish and jellyfish. Jelly was changed to Juno in honour of the wife of one of the officers.

We must continue to learn from history so it Is not repeated. 
We must ensure history is taught to the young. 
We must never forget those that fell on that day and in all theatres of war since and to who we owe so much. 


National D-Day Memorial

On this day in 1943, 19 Lancasters of  617sqd left RAF Scampton led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson - The Dambusters.

Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid, was an attack on German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, later called the Dam Busters, using special bouncing bombs developed by Barnes Wallis.

The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage.

Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September. The RAF lost 56 aircrew, with 53 dead and three captured, amid losses of eight aircraft.

Victory in Europe Day, generally known as VE Day or V-E Day, was celebrated on Tuesday, 8 May 1945 to mark the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces.

The act of military surrender was first signed at 02:41 on 7 May in SHAEF HQ at Reims, and a slightly modified document was signed on 8 May 1945 in Berlin.

A day in history that we should never forget.

November 15th 1943 was the day seven Freemasons created a Masonic lodge while imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp and in recent times a sculpture commemorating them was unveiled.

Liberté Chérie (French for "Cherished Liberty") was a Masonic Lodge founded in 1943 by Belgian Resistance fighters and other political prisoners at Esterwegen concentration camp. It was one of the few lodges of Freemasons founded within a Nazi concentration camp during the Second World War.

The lodge was created on November 15th, 1943 inside Hut 6 of Emslandlager VII and located in Esterwegen, Lower Saxony, Germany.

Paul Hanson was elected master. The brethren met for lodge work in Hut 6 around a table, which was otherwise used for cartridge sorting. A Catholic priest stood watch, so that the brethren could hold their meetings, and protected their secrecy.

The seven Freemasons who created the lodge were:
Paul Hanson, Luc Somerhausen, Jean Sugg, Franz Rochat, Guy Hannecart, Amédée Miclotte, and Degueldre.