Peace Day 2026

26th June 2026

A small group gathered at the Cenotaph for a time of reflection and to lay a wreath to commemorate the signing of the Versailles Treaty. The sun shone, the skylarks sang and we read much missed Tony Husband’s poem, Our Joe, which was perfect and particularly poignant.

As I lay here in my rotten den of damp and lice and rats and men

I dream I’m on the Low once more with you the girl I so adore

The skylark climbs and sings above and I look down on Hyde the town I love

You whisper softly in my ear and drive away my darkest fear

Of pain and death of being alone, my lying here as the as dying moan

So I close my eyes and think of you and all the harm that man can do

To Ma and Pa I miss you so so and all the times we’ll never know

The pub with Josh and George and Len

For I’ll never see them or it again

Cos as the whilst blew today and we kept forth on deaths foray

I took a shell it split me so

My lift now fades it’s time to go

So as you stand here proud and free

Please bow your heads……remember me.

Tony Husband