1st Middleton Scouts Passchendaele 100 project

1st Middleton Scouts at the annual Remembrance Parade and Service on Sunday (12 November)

The 1st Middleton Scouts’ Passchendaele 100 project came to an end with the Remembrance Day parade on Sunday (12 November).

• https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/113988/middleton-remembrance-sunday

A representative for the group said: “Our Passchendaele 100 project finished with a beautiful, but cold, day for the Remembrance Parade. It was an amazing turnout, and everyone did us proud.”

The Scout group also raised £620.50 for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal this year.

Over the last few weeks, the Scout group has visited breath-taking Commonwealth Graves Commission sites in France and Belgium, learning about both World Wars. The battle of Passchendaele took place during World War One between 31 July and 10 November 1917 with nearly 450,000 casualties.

Visiting many war sites, 1st Middleton also had the chance to visit a dugout from the battle of Passchendaele and take part in the Menin Gate Last Post ceremony where they bore the Middleton Royal British Legion Standard.

• https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/138/community-news/113687/1st-middleton-st-leonard%E2%80%99s-scouts-and-explorers-pay-respects-in-belgium-and-france

The troop also learned of a fallen man from Middleton, Private Alexander Harry Noyes, a Parish Church School pupil and member of St Leonard’s congregation who has recently been confirmed as a fellow 1st Middleton Scout.

Whilst visiting Mendinghem Military Cemetery in Belgium where Private Noyes is buried, 1st Middleton Scouts held a short ceremony with poems and a minutes’ silence, and placed a poppy cross and a 1st Middleton Necker on his grave.

Private Noyes, of the 12th King’s Liverpool Regiment, died of wounds received in action on 17 August 1917 at the age of 25. He had previously been in hospital suffering from a wound and shellshock in July 1916.

Private Noyes joined the colours in September 1914 and had been in the fighting line for one year and eight months. Prior to the war, he had been employed at the Victoria Picture Palace.