Lack of Remembrance Service Bugle ‘Not Due to Council Cuts’

Thousands across Wrexham turned out on Sunday to take part in Remembrance Services across the county – however some questions have been raised over a memorial event at Bodhyfryd.

Sunday’s Remembrance Service at Bodhyfryd has faced some criticism, with concerns that a lack of paper copies of the order of service, and a bugler to signify the start of the commemorative silence was due to budget cuts as apparently ‘conveyed by a member of staff.’

A post on the Forums (which can be viewed in full here) quotes a letter sent to Wrexham Council stating the writer was “…disgusted that this year as part of your Council cost cutting (this was the message that came from one of your own staff) you decided to cut the number of order of service leaflets for the public and those in the parade and print for your own civic groupings and ‘dignitaries’ and only a few for the public.

“There were only about 10 copies available for about 100 children and young people and non at all for the contingent of armed forces, army and RAF personnel and cadets. It also looked like the people laying wreaths also only had a couple between them.

“The RAF Cadet Band was good it was however disappointing that a town the size of Wrexham could not find a bugler from amongst the very many talented musicians in the area to play the Last Post and Reveille- please don’t tell me this was cost-cutting as well.”

However Wrexham Council have since confirmed that lack of bugle for the ceremony was not down to budget cuts and was due to unavailability.

A spokesman for Wrexham Council said: “Planning for this year’s event began in November 2014 but the council was unable to secure a bugler for the Service of Remembrance on Sunday, due to unavailability this year. Therefore, it was necessary to use a recording on this occasion. This had nothing to do with cost savings.

“Due to the numbers of people now attending the Cenotaph in Bodhyfryd, Wrexham, on Remembrance Sunday, it was decided a number of years ago that making hard copy orders of service available to everyone who attends was not feasible.

“Recently it has been decided to offer the Order of Service in a digital format on our website and on social media so that members of the public can download and print a copy if they wish, or access it via their mobile devices.

“We produced the same number of paper copies on Sunday as in the past and we do ask that people share to save their own and our printing costs. They are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.”

For the first time in Wrexham, Sunday’s Remembrance Service saw the notice and digital copies were made available to download online, with copies going out on Wednesday – around four days before the service itself.

On Wednesday 11th November a two minute silence to commemorate Armistice Day will also be held from 11am on Queens Square.

A spokesman for Wrexham Council confirmed that a bugler, and not a recording, will play The Last Post at the service before 11am. This will be followed by a wartime air raid siren, and the Two Minute Silence will be observed at 11am as usual. The bugler will also play Reveille at the conclusion of the silence.

The bugler shortage appears not limited to Wrexham, with LlanBlogger reporting that Llangollen Royal British Legion has put out an “urgent call for a bugler” for their Armistice Day Service on Wednesday.