In 2018 Aylesbury Town Council held a special service before Remembrance Sunday at the parish church to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. It was such a moving occasion that the Mayor, Cllr Mike Smith, decided to hold a similar service again this year in conjunction with the Royal British Legion. It took place on the evening of 7th November and was led by the vicar of St Mary’s, Fr. Doug Zimmerman.
Once again the Band played a large part in providing the music, starting with Nimrod from Elgar’s Enigma Variations as the Mayoral party processed down the church. As well as accompanying the hymns, the Band played Keep the Faith by Duncan Stubbs, David of the White Rock, arranged by David Cresswell, and Band of Brothers by Michael Kamen. At points during the service the names of local people who died in the world wars were read out by young people from the Police Cadets, the Sea Cadets and the Army Cadet Force. As well as other readings, music was also provided by the Church choir, who sang My Soul, There is a Country by Hubert Parry, and the Aylesbury Youth Choir, who sang Peace Song. The Band finished the service with the National anthem, and then played Songs of the Great War, a medley arranged by Rob Wiffin.
Then on Remembrance Sunday itself the Band again provided music for the ceremony at the War Memorial in Stone, a village near Aylesbury. Luckily the day was dry and sunny, though cold, but the ground in the park where the band set up was quite muddy after the amount of rain we’d had recently. Prior to the service the Band played to set the scene, including Keep the Faith by Duncan Stubbs, David of the White Rock, and Band of Brothers. The Band played for the hymns during the service, and afterwards played Songs of the Great War.