The ASWA Animals in War Memorial Service 2017 was held on Saturday 13th November at 3.00pm at the Animals in War Memorial in Park Lane, London. The event is held to remember and honour the millions of animals who have served and given their lives in war.
An Order of Service
for
Remembrance Sunday
12th November 2017 at 3pm
Animals in War Memorial, Park Lane, London
led by
The Revd Dr Helen Hall
Introduction & Welcome
Hymn: O God, our help in ages past
1. O God, our help in ages past
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
2. Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
3. Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
4. Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
5. Like flowery fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flowers beneath the mower’s hand
Lie withering ere ‘tis night.
6. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.
New Testament Reading: Revelation 21:1-4
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Reflective Readings:
Tribute to Diesel
A French police dog who was killed in a raid after the Paris attacks in 2015 was honoured with the PDSA Dickin Medal – the animal equivalent to the Victoria Cross. Diesel, a seven-year-old Belgian Shepherd dog, died during an operation targeting the suspected organiser of the attacks, which killed 130 people. The hashtag #JeSuisChien was trending on Twitter soon after Diesel’s death. Diesel died of multiple gunshot wounds during the raid on a Paris flat on 18 November 2015, five days after the attacks happened. She was sent in to check if the area was clear. “She did a tour of the first room, then she went into the second room and dashed forward,” explained Diesel’s handler, “and the gunfire started.” “I had absolute confidence in her, and her in me. Both of us knew how the other would behave in the situation. Major RULP Jean-Marc Lenglet from the French National Police, said: “Diesel’s handler has been deeply affected by the death of his dog, as have many thousands of well-wishers who sent messages of condolence for Diesel who died in the service of his country.” The sad reality is that Diesel is not the only dog to have given her life helping human beings in the midst of violence, danger and conflict. Many others serving with the military and rescue services selflessly put themselves in the way of harm for our benefit, sometimes with tragic consequences. It is not in the nature of dogs to count the cost, their loyalty, trust and bravery is unquestioning. Today, we remember their courage and devotion.
Winkie
On 23 February 1942, a badly damaged RAF bomber ditched into the North Sea. The crew were returning from a mission over Norway, but their Beaufort Bomber had been hit by enemy fire and crashed into the sea more than 100 miles from home. Struggling in freezing waters – unable to radio an accurate position back to base – the four men faced a cold and lonely death. But as the aircraft went down, the crew had managed to salvage their secret weapon – a carrier pigeon. The blue chequered hen bird, called Winkie, was set free in the hope she could fly home to her loft in Broughty Ferry, near Dundee, and so alert air base colleagues to their predicament. During World War II, carrier pigeons were routinely carried by RAF bombers for this very eventuality, though in an era before GPS and satellite locator beacons, rescue was far from certain. Winkie flew 120 miles, and was discovered, exhausted and covered in oil by owner George Ross who immediately informed RAF Leuchars in Fife. The pigeon was not carrying a message, but the RAF were able to calculate the position of the downed aircraft using the time difference between the plane’s ditching and the arrival of the bird – taking into account the wind direction and even the impact of the oil on Winkie’s feathers to her flight speed. A rescue mission was launched and the men were found within 15 minutes. The crew would have died without Winkie’s message coming through. Winkie became the toast of the air base, with a dinner held in her honour. A year later, she became the first animal to receive the Dickin Medal – named after PDSA’s founder Maria Dickin – for “delivering a message under exceptional difficulties”.
A Time to Reflect: Revd Dr Helen Hall
Intercessions: led by Revd Professor Martin Henig
Loving Lord,
We meet together to pray for all creation and especially today for all animals terrified, wounded and killed as a result of warfare. As this memorial reminds us many animals, horses and donkeys, elephants and camels, dogs and pigeons have served and suffered in war. We recall their bravery and faithfulness, their fortitude and love and we ask your blessing on them, for they too like the soldiers, sailors and airmen, and their support staff, like the doctors and nurses were created by you and lived and died in the hope of salvation.
Lord hear us….Lord graciously hear us.
Loving Lord,
As we continue to remember the particular cost played by horses and mules in the First World War, we ask that reflecting on the debt we owe to them, our species should remember their sacrifice and realise that cruelty to horses, betrayed and exported not to war but to be killed as horse-meat is a disservice to the many thousands of horses who died in Flanders for us. May we remember what we owe to them and repay our debt with kindness and love. Lord hear us…Lord graciously hear us.
Loving Lord,
We pray for dogs, who have so often served in war, both in service, detecting mines, and as companions to men and women in peril. We give particular thanks for Nowzad dogs. For dogs which have been rescued, for those who have rescued them from more recent theatres of war. We thank you for the love, generosity and faithfulness of people and dogs, which points the way to a more peaceful world. Lord hear us…Lord graciously hear us.
Loving Lord,
We pray for sea creatures, for the whales and porpoises, turtles, fish and other creatures suffering from naval warfare, from the sounds of explosions, from the pollution caused by maritime conflict. We remember that you made the great whales to sport in the waves, and the ships to sail calmly over the surface. For the sea was to be a realm of peace and not a battleground. We pray for all creatures of the sea, victims of warfare and the testing of weapons. Lord hear us…Lord graciously hear us.
Loving Lord,
Warfare ravages environments and we pray for wild creatures, killed, maimed or displaced by warfare and military activity. The world belongs to you and not to us, and we ask for forgiveness and pray for peace that the world may be restored to the innocence and pristine sanctity of Eden.
Lord hear us…Lord graciously hear us.
And so let us pray for the peace of all creation, when humans will respect and love each other and we will be joined by all animals, by all creation in one great hymn of praise to you, to your son, the Prince of Peace, and to the Holy Spirit. World without end. Amen.
Address: Pen Farthing (Nowzad Dogs)
Introduction to the Act of Remembrance
The Two Minute Silence
‘They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.’
All: We will remember them.
The Laying of Wreaths on the Memorial
The Blessing
Hymn: Just As I Am
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, and waiting not,
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, tho’ tossed about,
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings within and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind,
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, Thy love unknown,
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
The Dismissal
This Remembrance Service has been organised by
The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals (ASWA)
“Putting Animals on the Agenda of the Christian Church”
http://www.aswa.org.uk
Animal Interfaith Alliance 