Cyril Route, a former Desert Rat and ardent supporter of the Royal British Legion, attended many services held by all the West Norfolk Academies Trust primary schools and following his death during the summer, this year’s performances across the Trust were named in his honour.

Mr Route died at the age of 96 and was a firm favourite at the services he attended. His birthday often fell on the date of the service and he sat in the front row while pupils sang him ‘Happy Birthday’ as part of the Remembrance ceremony.

When he died the Trust promised his family that this year’s Remembrance Poetry Performances would be filmed in each school with a video made and sent to them as a keepsake.

Mr Route, of North Lynn, became known as ‘The Poppy Man’ around the King’s Lynn area and he supported the annual appeal since the 1960s when he and his wife Joan would make the poppies and sell them door-to-door.

His army career started in 1941 when he joined the East Surrey Regiment in Africa and was part of the guard for FIeld Marshal Montgomery. He was a member of the Desert Rats and towards the end of the war he spent 104 days at the infamous Monte Cassino mountain campaign.

Services marking the anniversary of the Armistice were also held at Springwood High where the Last Post was sounded by David Maddison. Ben Carter raised the flag at the ceremony which was attended by representatives of staff and students.

Remembrance 2020

A video marking this year Remembrance Day Service held at all the primaries within WNAT can be viewed below:

Remembrance Day - 11.11.2020