Pinewood Studios Hosts Annual Remembrance Service

Pinewood Studios proudly hosted its twenty-fifth annual Remembrance Service and Tribute of Silence on Friday, 7 November, honouring the armed forces community past and present. The occasion brought together Pinewood staff, tenants, and distinguished guests, including The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, Pippa Kirkbride, and His Majesty’s Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, Joanna Barclay. Representatives from the Royal British Legion of Iver, the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, the British Army, Imperial War Museum, Iver Parish Council, Buckinghamshire Council, and the Army Film and Photographic Unit (AFPU) also attended.

The service was introduced by Dan Burton, Senior Community Outreach and Education Manager for Pinewood Studios, and led by Revd Dr Thomas Plant SSC of Iver Parish Church. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew was delivered by The High Sheriff, followed by a two-minute silence, framed by the poignant “Last Post” and “Reveille,” performed by Geoff Lawrence.

Closing remarks were given by Paul Clark, the last remaining member of the AFPU who trained at Pinewood during the Second World War. Wreaths were laid by Paul Clark, families of AFPU veterans, local councillors, and Lisa Firetto, General Manager of Pinewood Studios, on behalf of Pinewood and Shepperton Studios.

The ceremony reflects Pinewood’s enduring commitment to remembrance. In early 1946, a simple dinner marked the end of AFPU and RAF wartime presence at Pinewood. A commemorative plaque was later dedicated on 21 April 1956 to honour photographers, cameramen, drivers, despatch riders, flying crews, and airmen who gave their lives producing imagery across Commonwealth operations – work that remains invaluable today.