The Remembrance Sunday commemorations are always an important event for our town, but especially so with this year marking a century since the start of the First World War.

Abingdon Town Band led dignitaries from the Guildhall for a Service of Remembrance and Reconciliation at St Helen’s Church at 10.00 am. There were guests from our twin town Lucca at the service, and one lesson was also read in Italian.

That was followed by a Remembrance Service at the war memorial. People began to arrive soon after 10.00 around the outside of The Square, leaving room for the uniformed organisations and dignitaries.

During this service Colonel Jon Asbee from Dalton Barracks read the exhortation …“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old…”

A bugler sounded the last post. There followed two minutes silence (to remember the fallen) at 11.00.

Then people sang “O God our help in ages past” during the laying of the wreaths. Not many veterans remain now from the 2nd World War.

In Italy, soldiers who died for the nation are remembered on 4th November, or the nearest Sunday, when the ceasefire that followed the Armistice of Villa Giusti in 1918 began. A lady from our twin town Lucca laid one of the many wreaths here in Abingdon.

The Minister then  said “Let us commit ourselves to responsible living and faithful service:”

“Will you strive for all that makes for peace?” People responded “We will.”

“Will you seek to heal the wounds of war?” People responded “We will.”

“Will you work for a just future for all humanity?” People responded “We will.”

After the singing of the National Anthem, the crowds cheered the parade of uniformed organisations. The Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames, Angela Lawrence,  and the MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, Nicola Blackwood, were among those taking the salute.

Wreaths are there to view for a few weeks more at the war memorial in Abingdon, if you can’t get to the sea of poppies round the Tower of London.