The "Battle Cruiser H.M.S. Hood South East London Memorial Group" held its annual parade and memorial service on Sunday, 30 May 2010. The parade assembled at the grounds of the Catford and Bromley Synagogue then moved off at 1300hrs. The parade was once again led by the Metropolitan Police's Pipes and Drums of the Emerald Society.
The parade proceeded down Crantock Road and turned left into Bromley Road. The parade then proceeded along Bromley Road and finally turned right into Allerford Road. At this point, the salute was taken by Councillor Peggy Fitzsimmons representing the Mayor of Lewisham along with Mayor of Greenwich Barbara Barwick and Lt Commander David Lewis, District Officer London Area Sea Cadet Corps. The standards and band moved into the Memorial Gardens where the service was subsequently held.
The service was conducted by the Rev Derek Clacey. Speeches were made by Councillor Fitzsimmons and Mayor Barwick. Also in attendance was the MP for Lewisham East, Ms Heidi Alexander. This was her first official engagement.
The whole event was filmed and photographed by James Barry and his crew (photographer Lofti Bouraz, director Jonas Lustosa and assistants Nuwan and Lucky). Following the service the group moved into the Bellingham Ex-Servicemens Club's clubhouse where resident singer Gracie Lynn entertained everyone for the afternoon. The club supplied food and made drinks available to all.
As always, the H.M.S. Hood Association sincerely appreciates the important work carried out by the Battlecruiser HMS HOOD South East London Memorial Group. We wish them continued success and look forward to working closely with them in the future.
Upcoming Parade (2011)
The 2011 parade is scheduled for Sunday, 29 May 2011. Marchers will assemble at the Catford and Bromley Synagogue at No. 6 Crantock Road, Catford, London SE6 2QT at 1230 hours. The parade will commence at 1300 hours and will proceed along Crantock Rd, then left onto Bromley Rd and right onto Allerford Rd. This will be followed by a memorial service in the memorial garden plus refreshments and entertainment at the Bellingham Ex-Service Mens Club.
Assorted Footage of 2010 Parade
A video of the event can be seen here. Pass the cursor over the below photos to view descriptions. Click on the photos to view enlarged versions.
