The World Chain of Light is conducted annually by Toc H members worldwide. It takes place on the 11th – 12th December, those dates being chosen to commemorate the first opening of Talbot House in Poperinghe, Belgium, and the birthday of the Founder Padre of Toc H, Tubby Clayton. It was first undertaken in 1929 at the initiative of Toc H in Western Australia and started in Perth. The host Lamp is lit at 9.00pm local time on the 11th December and a vigil is maintained for 24 hours. The chain moves westwards around the world with Branches all lighting their Lamps at 9.00pm local time until the chain of light is completed at 9.00pm on the 12th December. A short Service is prepared by the members of the host Branch or Group which includes a Message. This is circulated worldwide for use during the observance.
Since 1929 the World Chain of Light has started in the following places around the world;
1929 Perth, Western Australia
1930 Talbot House, Poperinghe
1931 Johannesburg, South Africa
1932 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1933 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1934 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1935 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1936 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1937 Calcutta, India
1938 Toronto, Canada
1939 Wellington, New Zealand
1940 All Hallows Crypt, Tower Hill, London
1941 Toc H Services Club, Reykjavik, Iceland
1942 Toc H Club, Jerusalem
1943 Madras, India
1944 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1945 Island of Guernsey
1946 Toc H Services Club, Berlin
1947 Buenos Aires, South America
1948 Royal Albert Hall, London
1949 Colombo, Ceylon
1950 Adelaide, South Australia
1951 Cardiff, Wales
1952 Glasgow, Scotland
1953 Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia
1954 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1955 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1956 Belfast, Northern Ireland
1957 Kampala, Uganda
1958 Bothas Hill, Natal, South Afrrica
1959 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1960 Wellington, New Zealand
1961 Dor Knap, Broadway, England
1962 Manchester, England
1963 Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia
1964 Bristol, England
1965 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1966 Canberra, Australia
1967 Toronto, Canada
1968 Mold, North Wales
1969 Buenos Aires, South America
1970 Colesterdale, North Yorkshire
1971 Cape Town, South Africa
1972 Edinburgh, Scotland
1973 Wellington, New Zealand
1974 Toc H Headquarters, Wendover, England
1975 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1976 Umtali, Rhodesia
1977 Birmingham, England
1978 Toc H Services Club, Berlin
1979 St George’s Chapel, London Airport, England
1980 Nelson, New Zealand
1981 The Poacher’s Den, West Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire
1982 Cochin, India
1983 Sheffield, England
1984 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1985 Maryborough, Queensland, Australia
1986 Alison House, Derbyshire, England
1987 Willow Grange, Estcourt, Natal, South Africa
1988 Clayton House, Crawley, England
1989 Webb House, Middlesborough, England
1990 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1991 Harare, Zimbabwe
1992 Port Penrhyn, Wales
1993 Trivandrum, Kerala, India
1994 Beaulieu, Hampshire, England
1995 Herford, Germany
1996 Prideaux House, East End of London, England
1997 Adelaide, South Australia
1998 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
1999 Chapel of the Loretto School, Musselburgh, Scotland
2000 Lindridge House, Devon, England
2001 Robert Tredgold Centre, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
2002 Community house, Birmingham, England
2003 Cochin, Kerala, India
2004 Kwinana, Western Australia
2005 Talbot House, Poperinghe, Belgium
2006 Toc H House, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
2007 The National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire, England