Designed and printed by the
The 80 Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day Wreath Laying Ceremony
Sunday 1 June 2025 | 0900 hrs
BARBADOS DEFENCE FORCE
Barbados Military Cemetery Gravesend
Reverend, The Major, Mylon Springer, BEM
Barbados Defence Force
Order of Wreath Laying Ceremony
The Commonwealth War Graves
Her Excellency, The Most Honourable, Dame Sandra Mason The President of Barbados
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Brigadier Carlos Lovell Chief of Staff, Barbados Defence Force
Vice Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman Chief of Defence Staff, Jamaica Defence Force
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Atheline Branch President of the Barbados Legion
Merchant Navy Memorial
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Errol Barrow Memorial
Brigadier Carlos Lovell Chief of Staff, Barbados Defence Force
Victory In Europe Day
80 Anniversary Order of Ceremony
Arrivals
Chief of Staff Barbados Defence Force
Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, first observed on 8 May 1945, marked the end of World War II in Europe after Germany's unconditional surrender to the Allies.
The surrender was formalized in two ceremonies. The first in Reims, France, on 7 May 1945, and a second signing in Berlin on 8 May 1945, which was requested by the Soviet Union.
These events brought an end to nearly six years of conflict, with widespread celebrations erupting across the globe.
Chief of Defence Staff Jamaica Defence Force
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal Princess Anne
Her Excellency The President of Barbados
National Anthems
The United Kingdom Barbados
One Minute Silence and Gun Salute
The Last Post
The Wreath Laying Ceremony
The Service
Departures
H.E. The President of Barbados
HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne
The Chief of Staff, Barbados Defence Force
The Chief of Defence Staff, Jamaica Defence Force
The March Past
All Other Dignitaries
A Minister shall say:
BRETHREN, we are met together to commemorate and commend to God the Father, the shepherd of souls, the Giver of the life everlasting, those who died that we and our children might live
Let us pray
ACT OF PENITENCE
ALMIGHTY GOD, long suffering and if great goodness, we confess to You our neglect and forgetfulness of Your commandments; our sins of the thought and word; the wrong we have done to others; and the good we have left undone. O God forgive Your people who have sinned against You and bring us all to newness of life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
GRANT, we beseech you merciful Lord to Your faithful people pardon and peace; that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve You with quiet mind; Through Jesus Christ our lord.
Amen.
Guard of Honour
Commander Capt Shawn Broome
Subaltern Lt Mark Jemmott
Right Guides CSgt Charles Sealy
CSgt Mario Greaves
Left Guides Sgt Havarian Forde
Sgt Jamar Williams
Supernumerary Sgt Natasha Gill
Colour Party
Presidential Colour Lt Ramone Blackmen
Regimental Colour 2Lt Kyle Straker
Sergeant Major WO2 Susan Binks
Escort(s)
CSgt Elvis Lovell
CSgt Marson Morris
Sentries
OIC - MCPO 2 Edmund McCollin
PO Adam Sealy Sgt Adrian Howard
Sgt Dario Pilgrim PO Stephen Beharrysingh
Flag Orderlies
Cpl Jamar Gittens LS Diego Wilkinson
Cpl Gregston Benjamin Cpl Rashad McClean
LS Laron Sobers Wreath Bearers
OIC - Sgt Christina Clarke
LS Laron Seales Cpl Kimberley Cenac
AB Andre McClean AB Matthew Maxwell
LCpl Tiffany Roach Pte Melissa Joseph
Cadet ENS Nashayne Als
The Reveille (BDF Band Buglers)
After the Reveille, the following prayers will be said and the Blessing will be pronounced afterwards.
Minister: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
LET US PRAY
Most Holy Spirit of God, from whom alone flows the fulness of wisdom and life; come in Your everlasting power and glory upon Your Church and to the hearts of all men. Bring to the world the new birth of holiness, new understanding of truth, new unity in love.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord who with the Father and You O Holy Spirit, lives and reigns one God world without end. Amen.
THE BLESSING
GOD grant to the living, grace; to the departed, rest; to the Church, the President of Barbados, King Charles, the Prime Minister, the Commonwealth, and all mankind, peace and concord, and to us and all His servants life everlasting.
And the blessing of God Almighty, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Be with you and abide with you always.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
The Lesson
1 Corinthians 15 : 50 - 58 (KJV)
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
A Minister shall then say:
We remember before You O Lord and entrust to your keeping those who have died in defence of justice and freedom.
They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning Let us say together
We will remember them
A Minister shall say: Let us Pray
GOD the creator and Father both of our mortal and immortal life: we give You high praise and humble thanks for all Your sons and daughters who counted not their lives dear unto themselves but laid them down for their friends; beseeching You that they may be numbered among those who by faithfulness unto death are given a crown of life, according to Your most true promise: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Minister: "The souls of the righteous are in the hands of the God:"
People: "And there shall no torment touch them."
Minister: "Grant them O Lord eternal rest:"
People: "And let light perpetual shine upon them."
1 Abide with me: fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
2 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away. Change and decay in all around I see. O thou who changest not, abide with me.
3 I need thy presence every passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power? Who like thyself my guide and strength can be? Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
4 I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless, ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
5 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes. Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee; in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.