This post captures some of the images from Parliament Square during this years Remembrance Sunday, which fell on 8 November in 2015.
This is the day for the nation to remember and honour those who have sacrificed themselves to secure and protect our freedom
The National Service of Remembrance, is held at The Cenotaph in Whitehall on Remembrance Sunday,
Two minutes’ silence is held at 11 a.m., before the laying of the wreaths. The silence represents the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, when the guns of Europe fell silent. This silence is marked by the firing of a field gun on Horse Guards Parade to begin and end the silence, followed by Royal Marines buglers sounding Last Post. RAF buglers sound The Rouse.
The first wreath is laid by the Queen, followed by the Duke of Edinburgh. Wreaths are then laid by other members of the Royal Family including the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Kent, the Earl of Wessex, the Duke of Cambridge, the Prince Harry. Wreaths are then laid by the Prime Minister, leaders of major political parties and former Prime Ministers, the Foreign Secretary, the Commonwealth High Commissioners and representatives from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets and the civilian services.
A short religious service of remembrance is then conducted by the Bishop of London.
After the ceremony, as the bands play, a huge parade of veterans, organised by the Royal British Legion, marches past the Cenotaph. Each contingent salutes the Cenotaph as they pass and a great many wreaths are handed over to be laid at it. They salute the Cenotaph (Empty Tomb in Greek) as they are paying tribute to all those it represents, to all those who died and who lie buried elsewhere.
As the veterans march back to Horse Guards Parade a member of the Royal Family takes their salute in front of the Guards Memorial.
This is my personal selection of images from the day. As alway, I am deeply touched by the event, knowing that so much has been done for our country by these magnificent people and the one who we have to remember on this day. But there is a larger group – the organisers such as the British Legion and the police, the people who attended and those who shape and nurture our great British values.
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