Helmsley town crier's key part in Battle's Over

Battle’s Over takes place on Sunday, November 11, with events throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and at scores of locations overseas, including New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Bermuda, France, Belgium, Canada, the United States and Germany.

At 7.05pm, more than 160 town criers, including Helmsley’s David Hinde who will be at the town’s All Saints Church, will simultaneously perform a specially written Cry for Peace Around the World, the first of them in New Zealand and then across the globe through the various time zones.

Just after the cry, bellringers at the Helmsley church, along with 1,000 other churches and cathedrals, will ring their bells as part of Ringing Out for Peace organised in association with the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers.

The Helmsley bellringers will also be ringing the bells half muffled as part of the church’s morning remembrance service.

The day’s commemorations begin at 6am with lone pipers playing Battle’s O’er, a traditional Scottish air played after a battle, outside cathedrals in the country, following which a specially written tribute will be read out. At the same time, over 1,000 pipers will be playing the tune in individual locations within their local communities.

At 6.55pm buglers will sound the Last Post at more than 1,000 locations.

Mr Hinde, whose great grandfather Frank Elswood was killed at the Battle Of the Somme on 1 July 1916, said: “I am proud to be playing a part in this historic international event to commemorate the centenary of the end of the Great War and to recognise the contribution and sacrifice made by the men and women from the Helmsley community and indeed Yorkshire.

“With the talented bellringers from All Saints Church taking part too, it will no doubt be a very moving and thought-provoking event, and we hope people will come along to experience it.”