Crowds gather to mark Armistice Day silence

31 minutes ago

Patrick BarlowSouth East

Crowds gathered across the South East, including in The Belfry shopping centre in Redhill, to mark Remembrance Day

Zac Sherratt / BBC A group of people gathered on the multiple tiers of a shopping centre. Union Jack flags are flying from the lower balcony, while the flags of the armed forces and poppies adorn the upper balconies. Two piles of red poppies are being dropped from the roof of the building. — Crowds gathered across the South East, including in The Belfry shopping centre in Redhill, to mark Remembrance Day

People across south-east England have fallen silent to mark Remembrance Day and pay their respects to people who died fighting in the armed forces.

Services in Brighton, Chatham, Redhill and across the region stopped for a two-minute silence to mark Armistice Day.

The annual services across the country are held to mark the anniversary of the end of World War One on 11 November, and remember those who lost their lives in all wars the UK has been involved in.

David Dugdale, who joined crowds at The Belfry shopping centre in Redhill, Surrey, said: "My two grandfathers both fought, so its important for me to come to this."

He added: "We have to think about what those soldiers must have gone through."

David Dugdale, in Redhill, said soldiers "lost their lives so that we can live how we do today"

Zac Sherratt / BBC A man, David Dugdale, wearing a grey hoodie and stood in a shopping centre. He is smiling towards the camera. — David Dugdale, in Redhill, said soldiers "lost their lives so that we can live how we do today"

People stopped on the balconies of The Belfry to take part in a remembrance service in the Surrey town which included poppies being dropped from the roof of the building.

The shopping centre service also paid tribute to Vic Gellett, who first organised the Redhill service and who died earlier this year.

Reigate & Banstead councillor Eddy Humphreys said: "Vic was a very humble person and I don't think he would have thought we would be remembering him like this.

"He served his community, his family and his country."

People gathered at the Old Steine in Brighton as part of the city's annual service

Fiona McCarthy / BBC A group of people stood around a large stone memorial in the rain. A number of red poppy wreaths sit at the foot of the memorial. Several soldiers holding flags outstretched are stood in front of it. — People gathered at the Old Steine in Brighton as part of the city's annual service

In Brighton, people laid wreaths at the city's war memorial in the Old Steine, before also paying their respects at the memorial for the Battle of Boar's Head.

The battle, which took place 110 years ago in 1916, saw 366 people from the Royal Sussex Regiment lose their lives, and has come to be known as "the day Sussex died".

Wreaths were also laid at memorials across Sussex, including at Holy Cross Church in Uckfield where a small crowd congregated to mark the two-minute silence.

Rev Luke Bacon led a service at Victoria Gardens in Chatham

Phil Harrison / BBC A reverend in white religious attire stood in front of a stone war memorial with several poppy wreaths laid at its foot. A small number of people are stood around him and listening to him speak. — Rev Luke Bacon led a service at Victoria Gardens in Chatham

Services follow further commemorations over the weekend to mark Remembrance Sunday, which was also observed across the South East.

In Chatham, a remembrance service was held at Victoria Gardens, with people falling silent and including a cannon-fire salute.

Rev Luke Bacon, of St John's Church in Chatham, said: "Remembering those who have lost their lives is so significant because otherwise we risk taking the luxury of freedom for granted, and risk finding ourselves in a situation where some of those choices no longer exist."

Wreaths were laid at the Tommy statue in Dover

Press Association A statue of a soldier balancing on a gun which is on its end in front of him. A number of red poppy wreaths have been laid at the foot of the statue. — Wreaths were laid at the Tommy statue in Dover

Mayor of Medway Douglas Hamandishe said: "It's important for us to use those lessons to build a more loving and united community."

A service was also held in Dover where people gathered around the Tommy statue, a tribute to soldiers who died in World War One, to pay their respects.

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