ELSTEAD COMMEMORATES 100 YEARS SINCE THE FIRST WORLD WAR ARMISTICE
Elstead lost 38 men in WW1. One of our men died within a month of arriving in France at the start of the war, and his brother died just 10 days before the Armistice. World War 1 was called ‘The War to End All Wars’ but it wasn’t and we still have military who need our support today.
To remember Elstead’s past in both wars, and to support our soldiers today, this is what Elstead is doing in October:
The Beaver Scouts are painting poppies on rocks to hide around the village – how many can you find?
Poppies knitted by people in Elstead will be used to decorate around the village.
Elstead’s Silent Soldiers will be spending some time in St James’ Church and the United Reformed Church and around the village. Look out for them!
October 25 – 27 October - The Players of Elstead Theatrical Society (PETS) autumn production, especially written to commemorate Elstead’s war efforts in both wars. It’s in the Village Hall from 7.45pm, and the Box Office is open now!

- Exhibition in the Youth Centre with artefacts and uniforms, working radios from WW1 and posters about Elstead’s war efforts. Children at St James’ are writing 
‘Postcards Home’, using original postcards sent home to the Ellis family during WW1. Come along to see these! There’ll be refreshments and all donations given will go towards the 
Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment Welfare Fund.

On Saturday 27 Oct - the Big Day! There will be the Bringing Them Home walk, from the green to the war memorial, where the Last Post will be played, Sara Wilson Soppitt from PETS will sing and prayers will be said. The walk will be led by a horse and cart with some of the Silent Soldiers which Elstead people have sponsored and some members of the PWRR and the Queen’s Regiments, and we would love as many people as possible to join in.

We have military vehicles on display, a war re-enactment group on the village green and Colonel Patrick Crowley will be giving a talk about the PWRR in the Youth Centre. Trish from Ceramimagic will be there to help children make ‘tigers’ heads’ (the emblem of the PWRR). You can meet our Silent Soldiers and learn about their lives, and chat to the people who are bringing along their artefacts. 
On Remembrance Sunday in November our Silent Soldiers will be in both churches and the Village Hall for the services. 
ELSTEAD AT WAR NEEDS THE VILLAGE TO JOIN IN!