Memorial service due to be held to remember armed forces veterans who died during Covid-19 pandemic

Veterans due to be remembered couldn’t receive military honours at their funerals due to the Covid restrictions.

The service will take place on Saturday, July 9, at 2pm at Christ Church in Hackenthorpe.

Deputy Lieutenant of South Yorkshire Colonel Nick Williams, Lord Mayor Sioned-Mair Richards and consort councillor Jackie Satur, have confirmed that they will be attending.

Patricia Davey, chairman of the Sheffield and District Joint Council of Ex-Service Associations, said: ”I hope that everyone who can will be present to pay our respects to our fallen comrades.

“It’s very important the reason why we’re doing this.

“Under normal circumstances if families wanted, the joint council or British Legion provide standard bearers, a bugler to play the last post, and someone to give the exaltation.

“To give the kind of service and ceremonial burial they would normally get if they were still in the forces.

“We do this because they’ve earned that right by their service and their offer to give their lives for their country.

“It is also very comforting for their families to have this kind of recognition for their loved ones.

“Then suddenly the covid pandemic started and lock down started,and of course funeral services were very much affected.

“And we couldn’t do anything to mark the service of the departed.”

She added: “It actually brought it home to me, just before lockdown came into effect, when a long standing member of the Sheffield and District Joint Council of Ex-Service Associations, British Legion, and Naval Association suddenly died the Thursday or Friday before lockdown came into effect.

"I had the very difficult job of ringing his wife, commiserating her and having to say we won’t be able to of course attend the funeral.”