Melksham bells ring out for Armistice centenary

Melksham’s church  bells rang out on three occasions to mark the centenary of the signing of the 1918 armistice. The bells were rung in accordance with requests from the government and the central council of church bell ringers.

Bob Purnell from St Michael’s bell ringers reports, “On Thursday we rang a half muffled quarter peal 1260 changes of Grandsire Triples to honour the fallen of our town, conducted by Tower Captain, Julian Ferrar. 

“On Sunday half muffled bells rang out while the procession came to the war memorial for 11am and in the evening at 7.05pm we rang ‘Open’ for ‘Battles Over’ and the lighting of the Beacons for Peace. 

“1,400 bell ringers across the country died in WW1  and we were asked to train 1,400 new ringers to mark the event under ‘Ringing Remembers’. Orla McGrane age 9 from Melksham was one of these and she joined in the ringing on Sunday.”