The New Milton Remembrance Sunday Parade and wreath-laying ceremony on Sunday 9 November 2025 was well-attended by hundreds of residents. Many people representing community and charity groups, as well as lots of young people representing schools and youth groups in New Milton.
Parade Marshal, RBL Chairman Lee Fleming, supported by fellow RBL members, formed up the Remembrance Parade to follow the Christchurch and District Scout Band towards the War Memorial for the 2 minutes silence at 11am.
New Milton Town Clerk, Graham Flexman, offered a welcome to everyone, “It is 107 years since the end of WW1 in 1918, officially at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. Today, we remember all those who lost their lives in the 1st & 2nd World Wars and subsequent conflicts.”
“This year marked the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe (VE Day on 8 May) and finally VJ Day on 2 September commemorating Japan’s formal surrender that took place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay in 1945.”
In New Milton, 223 local service personnel who lost their lives in the two world wars are remembered – 83 died in WWI and 140 died in WW2. Their names are inscribed on the War Memorial.
Reverend Jon Westall conducted the Service of Remembrance in the Memorial Hall. The service included students from Durlston Court School, Arnewood School, and Ballard School, delivering presentations about New Miltonians who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Students highlighted the brief life of Miltonian, Violet Marie Leefe, sharing photographs of her younger life with siblings and the family dog. Violet was a trained nurse, working in the General Hospital in Singapore when WWII started. The nurses were evacuated from Singapore on the SS Kuala, but the ship was bombed and machine-gunned by Japanese aircraft, resulting in the sinking of the ship. Violet was not among the survivors who were picked up by another vessel, so the assumption is that she was lost during the sinking of the Kuala.
Five years later in 1947, Violet’s family received a letter enclosing the Certificate of the presumption of Violet’s death on or about 14 February 1942.
Acknowledgement is also given to the outstanding performance from the Ballard School Senior Chamber Choir singing “Count the Stars” by Andy Beck, beautifully delivered and appreciated by the congregation.
The Royal British Legion host the Poppy Appeal to raise money to support serving and ex-serving personnel and their families. Find out more on the Royal British Legion website https://www.britishlegion.org.uk