Fisher Poppy Day Remembrance – Saturday 10th November

This year’s Remembrance Day marks an important anniversary – the centenary of the signing of the Armistice that ended the First World War. It was signed at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the eleventh month one hundred years ago that was to end a global conflict described at the time as ‘the war to end all wars’.

Some 300,000 men and women from Bermondsey and Rotherhithe contributed to the First World war effort and the 22nd battalion of the Queen’s Regiment, based in the area, saw hundreds of Bermondsey men fighting valiantly on the Western Front and in the Salonika Campaign in the Balkans. By the end of the war 970 of them had been killed, their names forever inscribed on the memorial on Old Jamaica Road.

One person to survive enemy combat during the Great War was local boy Albert McKenzie, from Alice Street, who received the country’s most prestigious military honour – the Victoria Cross – for his bravery in battle. He was part of a storming party on a night time operation at Zeebrugge port, Belgium in April 1918. Tragically while recovering from his wounds in hospital Albert was struck down and died from influenza just one month before the ceasefire. He was 20 years old. A memorial statue to the young able seaman stands proudly at the junction of Tower Bridge Road, Decima Street and Bermondsey Street. Another Bermondsey boy Fred Holmes, born in Abbey Street, was awarded the VC for two acts of bravery on 26 August 1914 during the Battle of Le Cateau just weeks after the start of the war.

So on Saturday 10th November for our home game against Deal Town we will be observing a minute’s silence in memory of all those who sacrificed their lives not just in the Great War but in all wars.

We are proud to be supporting the Royal British Legion (who originally adopted the symbol of the Poppy in 1921 after the famous WW1 poem In Flanders Field) by having a fundraiser on the day. All donations will be welcome.

We will also be offering free entry to the game to Army, Navy, Air Force personnel and Veterans as well as Emergency Services Staff – ambulance, police and fire fighters.

Saturday is going to be a special occasion so we encourage all fans of Fisher to make Bermondsey proud.

Match details here: Fisher v Deal Town Saturday 10th November

Royal British Legion: https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/