NOVEMBER signalled Remembrance events and the start of Christmas festivities.
On Saturday, November 8, Bewdley welcomed a delegation from the Free French Cadets Remembrance Association.
After France surrendered to Germany in 1940, young men escaped to come and fight with Charles de Gaulle and the Free French Army.
As many of them were too young – De Gaulle created the Free French Cadets Academy so they could finish their education and train as officers.
After several moves, they were based in Ribbesford House from May 1942 until June 1944.
The Cadets never forgot the warm welcome they received in Bewdley and members of the association have been visiting regularly since the war ended.
This year, five direct descendants of the cadets came to Ribbesford and Bewdley to lay wreaths in memory of the Bewdley Cadets.
Afterwards, around 40 people attended a talk given by Michel Marbot, the son of the Free French Cadet, who created the association and by the Rt Hon Dominic Grieve (a relative of the family and President of the Franco-British Association).
Original photos and films showed the cadets training around Bewdley and told the stories of several young people, including the five aged 15 to 19 who crossed the Channel in a dinghy from Fort Mahon Plage, now twinned with Bewdley.
Sadly, about a quarter of the Bewdley cadets lost their lives before the end of the war.
On Remembrance Sunday, I attended a moving event with the Bewdley Marching Band, leading the parade up to the War Memorial.
It was an outdoor ceremony with many people laying wreaths and a full Remembrance service at St Anne’s Church.
We also gathered at 11am on Tuesday, November 11, when all traffic stopped for an eerie moment of silence and recollection.
Another highlight was on November 15, going around Bewdley with Pudsey and some small children to raise money for Children in Need and launch the Nutcracker trail which runs until January 4.
Then we started with the Christmas lights launch in Kidderminster on November 15, in Stourport on November 21 and in Bewdley on November 29.
Three very different and very enjoyable events.
Coun Nicole Harper
Mayor of Bewdley
