In the early 1920s at a road junction in Stockbridge in Hants, the traffic was stopped for the first time to remember and honor the war dead in peace, this has continued through the years until last year, when the police for the first time refused this was swiftly sorted by the local MP.
This year, however the members of the British Legion have had the same issues with Major General John Stephenson the RBL president Houghton and District being told by a local Police Sergeant that to stop the traffic on Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday for two minutes would interfere with people’s human rights and they would not be doing it.
The Major General who served in the Army for 34 years that such “bureaucratic” permission was never needed or sought in prior years, he added “I am absolutely appalled and I am not speaking just for myself but for every man, woman and child who want to pay their respects to people who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom”
The good news is that since this problem raised its ugly head the local council have sorted the necessary “paperwork” and the road today was closed so leaving everyone in peace with their thoughts.