SHOPKEEPERS will soon be asked to pay a silent tribute to the brave men of Petersfield who died in The Great War.
With a month to go until the centenary of Armistice Day – which marked the end of the First World War – businesses in the town centre have been urged to place a ‘silent silhouette’ of a soldier in their windows as a sign of respect for the town’s fallen.
Each of the 129 cardboard cut outs, which have been designed and printed free of charge by Churcher’s College, represents someone from the town who died in the First World War.
Jeff Williams and Clive Lewis of the Royal British Legion (RBL) will start handing out the silhouettes next Monday as the pair will be going door to door in the town centre.
Mr Williams said: “We would like these 129 silhouettes to be put in the windows of 129 shops and businesses to commemorate the town’s fallen.
“We don’t expect any money but if people want to donate then we will give it all to the Poppy Appeal.
“It’s more to commemorate and honour these people who gave their lives.”
“We’ll be going round shop to shop,” said Mr Lewis, who handed the first silhouette to the Post last week alongside his colleague.
“We would also like to thank Churcher’s College because they produced the cut outs at no cost, which was incredible.”
The Vicar of Petersfield, the Rev Will Hughes, also plans to read a citation for all of the town’s 129 fallen soldiers in the run up to Remembrance Sunday, with one-hour readings taking place every evening from November 5-10 in St Peter’s Church.