Armistice 100 - St John's Wick

5th November 2018

On 11 November 2018, 100 years since Armistice, bells will ring out in unison from churches and cathedrals in villages, towns and cities across the country.

As part of "Her Majesty's Government" ambition for Bells to ring out at 12.30pm on the 11th of November, to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice, which signalled the end of the First World War, a team of some of the Poltney Bell Ringers will join the congregation of St John's Scottish Episcopal Church, Moray Street, Wick on Sunday 11th November 2018.

The ringing of bells, throughout the UK & worldwide, will mark this historic occasion. This will be a symbolic way to give thanks for the end of the war 100 years ago and will replicate the national outpouring of relief that took place at the end of the war as news of the Armistice filtered through and bells which had long been silent rang out. Bells ringing out at 12.30pm will help to mark the shift in emphasis from Remembrance in the morning to the Thanksgivings in the afternoon for the end of war and for peace.

The morning worship service will be led by The Rev'd Chris Mayo, Priest-in-Charge at St John's. The service begins at 11.30am and all are welcome.

On 11 November 2018, 100 years since Armistice, bells will ring out in unison from churches and cathedrals in villages, towns and cities across the country. Big Ben will also strike at 11am to mark the centenary.

To mark the final year of the First World War centenary commemorations, 1,400 new bell ringers will be recruited in honour of the 1,400 that lost their lives during the First World War.

Church bells across the UK remained restricted throughout the course of the war and only rang freely once Armistice was declared on 11 November 1918.

The campaign to recruit bell ringers, Ringing Remembers, will keep this traditional British art alive in memory of the 1,400 who lost their lives - linking together past, present and future.

The campaign is being run by the Department of Communities and Local Government in collaboration with Big Ideas Community Interest Company and the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said:

The Ringing Remembers campaign will be a fitting end to our projects, events and activities that have marked the end of the First World War and a tribute to the heroic men and women who sacrificed so much for the freedoms we enjoy today.

As the centenary commemorations draw to a close, our priority is to make sure we continue to keep the history of the First World War alive for generations to come, even as it falls out of living memory.

Karen Bradley, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said:Today we begin the final year of commemorations, leading to the 100th anniversary of Armistice. We will look at how we went from the German offensive in spring 1918 to peace, and I have no doubt the public will once again help us tell this important story and share their own connections to the First World War.

On 11 November 1918 the ringing of church bells erupted spontaneously across the country, as an outpouring of relief that 4 years of war had come to an end.