Armistice 2026: a soldier’s helmet and rifle above poppies at sunset, with the words ‘We will remember them’.

Marston Remembers | Armistice 2026

This year’s Armistice took place on Sunday, 8th November 2026, and marked the 106th anniversary of the Marston War Memorial, which lists 35 names — 27 from the First World War and 8 from the Second World War — and many have not realised that one casualty on the war memorial is a woman.

First World War names, poppy wreaths and named remembrance candles at the Marston War Memorial.
The Marston War Memorial, with wreaths and remembrance candles.
The eight Second World War names on the Marston War Memorial, including Lce Cpl M. L. Dawson, ATS.
The Second World War names, including Mary Louisa Dawson.

The Second World War saw considerably more women serving in the war than the First World War due to the government, for the first time, conscripting women. Britain faced a larger industrial and labour crisis, and trusted women with a wider and more complex range of military and technical roles. The Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) saw 900 women killed during WW2. One being Lance Corp Mary Louisa Dawson, commemorated on the Marston War Memorial, who lived in the village and only married to James Dawson 9 months before she was killed in a training accident.

You can visit Mary’s dedicated page on Find a Grave via this link.

The Commonwealth war grave of Mary Louisa Dawson, Auxiliary Territorial Service, who died on 6 May 1942, aged 18.
Mary Louisa Dawson’s grave.

2026 saw a high number of local people from the village of Marston at this year’s Armistice.

Led by Marston Parish Chairperson Marion Potts, the service of remembrance was conducted by Rev David Gray, who returned to Marston for the second time.

Despite the early fog, the weather remained dry for the service, which was conducted under the Evergreen Arch, rebuilt the previous Saturday for the seventh time. The Evergreen Arch remains within the cemetery grounds for two weeks, one week before Armistice, and one week after.

The Evergreen Arch decorated with poppies and photographs, with illuminated remembrance candles at the Marston War Memorial at dusk.
The Evergreen Arch and remembrance candles at dusk.

This year we remembered Andrew Drinkwater. A Chester businessman who had fully funded the memorial candles for the previous six years. Andy died suddenly and unexpectedly just before Christmas 2025, leaving his wife Jo and two sons, one aged 8 years. Andy did attend the 2025 Armistice.

As in keeping with previous years, everyone was invited to the village hall for refreshments and reflection.

This year we saw a new large banner advertising the Marston Lads website in the village hall, together with dedicated Marston Lads business cards, kindly donated by Jan Woestenburg and Ynske Heeringa from the Netherlands. Both Jan and Ynske visited Marston in 2024 (see image) and have continued to support Marston.

We look forward to seeing you in 2027.

Jan Woestenburg and Ynske Heeringa visiting the Marston War Memorial in 2024.
Jan and Ynske visiting Marston in 2024.

Watch the Armistice 2026 video on YouTube, or play it below.