Standard bearers Ross Henry (nearest camera) of the Buffs and John Hunt of the Sark branch of the Royal British Legion lowering the standards for the two-minute silence on Remembrance Sunday. (0871251)

SARK’S annual Service of Remembrance took on an added significance this year. After being in use for 74 years, the standard of the Sark branch of the Royal British Legion was laid up at St Peter’s Church and its replacement dedicated.

Apart from that, the service itself – with its outdoor and indoor elements – took the same form as in previous years, with the congregation gathering outside the church to await the parade and wreath-laying ceremony.

Royal British Legion members, those residents who give of their time to serve in the volunteer emergency services and members of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes made up the parade, which marched from the old Island Hall to assemble at the war memorial in front of the Anglican church.

After the traditional two-minute silence was observed, the Seigneur, Michael Beaumont, laid a wreath on behalf of island residents and he was followed by representatives of the Royal British Legion, the British Red Cross, the Buffs and others.

The 18 names of Sark residents who made the ultimate sacrifice – 17 in the First World War, including five from the extended Guille family, and one from the Second World War – were read out by Lt-Col Reg Guille, who was also in charge of the parade.

The Seigneur and Royal British Legion stalwart Roy Cook did the readings and the address was given by Methodist lay pastor David Hollingsworth. The hymns included Jerusalem and I Vow To Thee, My Country, and two verses of the National Anthem.

The parade and congregation – which was sizeable, given the cold wind and threat of rain – left the church to the Royal British Legion March.

On Wednesday morning, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a further two-minute silence was also observed, its start and finish being signified by the emergency siren being sounded.

Aval du Creux head chef Gary Thompson (left) and Sark Building Company manager Terry Crowther in charge of food supplies at the annual builders’ bonfire on Monday. (0871252)

That was preceded on Monday evening by another now traditional November event being held – the third ‘builders’ bonfire’ staged and sponsored by Sark Building Company Ltd in the field to the north of The Avenue.

Held in near-perfect weather conditions – which justified its postponement from the previous week – the event was attended by several hundred people, including the inevitable crowd of enthusiastic youngsters. Not surprisingly, they were queuing for food and drink before the fire was lit and there was plenty of that on offer, including roast pork in rolls, hot dogs, soup and hot chocolate.

Aval du Creux head chef Gary Thompson was in charge of the catering and, after he had put a match to the bonfire (which ignited remarkably swiftly considering the rain that had fallen in the previous few days), Sark Building Company manager Terry Crowther was also pressed into action keeping people well fed.

Sark Chamber of Commerce council members will be getting their heads down soon to sift through the nominations for their annual commercial and community achievement awards.

I am told that the nominations have already started coming in from Chamber members and the results will be announced at the annual dinner on 11 December.

Last year’s Citizen of the Year was island workman Mickey Adams, while lifetime achievement awards went to Werner and Phyllis Rang in the commercial category and Pam Cocksedge in the community service category.