Army personnel from Dalton Barracks, near Abingdon, and lots of other uniformed organisations paraded from St Helen’s Church to The War Memorial this morning for the Act of Remembrance.
The Royal British Legion – Abingdon Branch – followed the serving soldiers in leading the act of remembrance. They represent the Armed Forces community that fought in the two World Wars and later conflicts.
Cadet groups stood shoulder to shoulder with the veterans and serving soldiers.
This year the parade arrived with time to spare on a bright sunny Sunday, and so there were three or four minutes of silence before the 11 am act of remembrance. Revd. Charles Miller led the commendation and prayers. The exhortation was read, the last post sounded and then there were two minutes of silence followed by the laying of the wreaths round the war memorial.
Afterwards all the uniformed groups followed Abingdon Town Band in marching past the dignitaries at Abingdon County Hall.
Again the Royal British Legion followed the regular army,
followed by cadets
Then came all the uniformed groups. Here the brownies, and their leaders, salute the four people on the platform: The Queen’s representative in Abingdon, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Felicity Dick; The Mayor of Abingdon, Councillor Charlie Birks; the town’s Poppy Appeal organiser, Clare; and a senior officer from Dalton Barracks.
Crowds of people, who had been watching, followed on behind the parade. There were a lot of people and lots of young people. Back at the War Memorial people laid their own poppies and crosses at the foot of the war memorial, including young children carrying on a family tradition.
A member of the gurkhas who had served at Dalton Barracks had come to pay his respects at Abingdon.
I asked the Royal British Legion standard bearer to stand for this picture. During the act of remembrance the standards were lowered as the two-minute silence took place to remember those who have died in the violence of war.
