Town Hall staff and Rye News reporter Charles Harkness and myself were among the few to witness the raising of the Commonwealth flag on Monday, March 9 to celebrate Commonwealth Day, writes Kenneth Bird. To the background of Handel’s Water Music, Town Crier Rex Swain read out a message from The Queen, and a rather longer one from the Commonwealth Secretary-General. Then to a loyal shout of “Huzzah”, the flag, sent from the office of the Commonwealth Secretariat, was raised, to fly at full mast for 24 hours.