Bicester fire heroes remembered during memorial service

Friends and family members congregated at St Edburg’s Church for an invite-only service on Friday night (May 15) to remember the lives of three heroes who died in the blaze which engulfed Hangar 79 on the heritage site last year.

(Image: PA / Facebook)

Firefighters Martyn Sadler and Jennie Logan, and businessman Dave Chester, lost their lives during the incident on Friday, May 15.

Around 326 people, including Bicester firefighters, members of Bicester Rugby Union Football Club, and Oxfordshire county councillors, entered into the nave to the bellowing of organ music.

Another 20 people joined the service online via Zoom.

As they gathered to take their seats in the pews for the 45-minute service, they passed two decorated firefighter honour guards who held large flags.

Opening sentences were uttered by Rev Peter Wright, who led the service, including Bible passages from John and Matthew, one of which read: “blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

READ MORE: Bicester remembers fallen firefighters one year on from fire

Before a prayer of remembrance, O God, Our Help in Ages Past was sung, with angelic voices seeping through the stained glass windows into Church Street.

Chief fire officer Rob MacDougall addressed the congregation before the poem As We Look Back by Clare Jones was read.

Three candles were lit in St Edburg’s Church, Bicester, during the memorial service to mark the Bicester Motion fire anniversary (Image: Newsquest)

As three candles were lit in the sanctuary, the roll of honour was read before another hymn and Bible readings.

The service continued with a sermon by Rev Peter before mourners reflected while listening to The Lark Ascending, a 1914 composition by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Prayers of thanksgiving were echoed with amens before the congregation said The Lord’s Prayer.

READ MORE: Bicester Rugby Club raises thousands to honour victims

The final minutes included an act of commitment, commendation and blessings to make a “commitment to live lives of service, courage, and compassion”, in memory of the well-loved three Bicester people.

As the grieving collection exited the church to a cold May sunset, they embraced one another and collected packets of sunflower seeds.

Rev Peter Wright who led the service (Image: Newsquest)

Speaking after the memorial service, Rev Peter shared a few reflections from the memorial service.

He said the botanical token of remembrance symbolises energy, life and a positive future.

He added: “We hope that later in the summer, as those sunflowers come up all over Bicester, people will remember Martin, Jennie and Dave.”

The service, which took months of preparation, was a joint effort between the clergy and families.

“It was important that we didn’t just let this day go past as if nothing had happened”, he said, “The community needed the opportunity to come together and acknowledge what has happened.”

He encouraged the community to “not dwell in the past” but to “look forward to a future, sadly without them, but where we are carrying them with us in memory and in the example that they left us.”