Today Cambridge United will hold our Remembrance Day Commemorations as the football club remembers all those who fought and died protecting our freedom during the First World War.
This year marks the centenary of the end of WW1, and the club this week have planted a tree behind the Main Stand in conjunction with the Football Remembers and Woodlands Trust campaign ‘For Club and Country.’ The tree represents a living legacy to the footballers who served and died 100 years ago.
Before the game this afternoon there will also be a period of silence in which a rendition of the Last Post will be played and will include a laying of the wreath.
We are thrilled to be joined by a number of serving and ex-serving military personnel from the Royal Anglian Regiment, and we also have a very special Ethos Community Hero of the Day in the form of World War Two veteran Ken Hay, 93.
Ken is a member of the Royal Anglian Association having been a member one of the predecessor regiments of The Royal Anglian Regiment, The Essex. In 1944 he was transferred over to the Dorsets to go over to Normandy where he was unfortunately captured and then submitted to slave labour in a Polish coal mine. Ken also endured the ‘Long March to Freedom’ from Katowice to Bavaria between 23rd January and 20th April 1945. He was liberated on 22nd April before returning to England by Lancaster Bomber on 4th May 1945.
He and his companion Pat will be joining the club in hospitality this afternoon and prior to kick off he will lay the wreath of poppies on behalf of the Football Club as part of our commemoration.
Our match referee Nicholas Kinseley will also conduct the coin toss with a 100th Anniversary Royal British Legion Commemorative Coin and the players will be wearing black armbands adorned with poppies.
Also following the tragic events that took place last weekend in which the helicopter of Leicester City Owner and Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha crashed outside the King Power Stadium, today’s period of silence provides us all the opportunity mark our respect and remember the five people who sadly lost their lives.
We thank all our supporters in advance for their co-operation in the tributes.