Armistice Day is remembered with a gathering of Royal British Legion, civic leaders and members of the public at the war memorial on the 11th of November at 11 am.

Remembrance Sunday involves a church service at St Helen’s, then a more extensive gathering of Royal British Legion, civic leaders, armed forces, uniformed groups, and members of the public at the war memorial on the 13th of November from 10:50. That is followed by a march to the County Hall to salute the Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames, Cllr Andy Foulsham, the Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire and the Commanding Officer of Dalton Barracks.

There is also a tree in the Abbey Meadows, planted by the Abingdon Peace Group, in memory of all victims of war. The Ukraine war has had many victims, some of whom have come to Abingdon. There are also people from Syria.

At 11am, to remember the end of the war and all who had died, ‘The Last Post’ and the ‘Reveille’ were played by Alison Rich of Abingdon Town Band.

Wreaths were then laid at Abingdon’s War Memorial by the Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames, Councillor Charlie Berks, and the Chair of Vale of White Horse District Council, Councillor Margaret Crick.

The tenor bell tolled at St Helen’s Church followed by the chime of the tenor at St Nicolas Church, 75 times between them.

Here is a short video of the ceremony and the bells.

A beacon on top of the County Hall in Abingdon

,watched by a small crowd on Abingdon Market Place,

and bells, at the same time, from St Helen’s Church, rounded off this Armistice Day centenary in Abingdon.

The beacon was intended to show the light that came after the darkness of war. More than 800 beacons were lit by councils and communities across the UK.