As well as events around Britain, the end of the First World War was marked in London by the annual National Service of Remembrance and a specially organised People’s Procession.
The Service of Remembrance was held at the Cenotaph in Whitehall on November 11 – and included a two-minute silence at 11am and the laying of wreaths, 100 years to the hour since the Armistice came into effect.
Prince Charles led the event on behalf of the Queen, who watched from a balcony at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Prince Charles was joined by the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier – the first time a German president has taken part in the service.
President Steinmeier’s wreath sitting with those laid by the Royal Family at the Cenotaph, the monument unveiled by King George V on Armistice Day 1920 to commemorate the dead of the Great War (Centenary News)
The service included the usual march down Whitehall by veterans and their families.
But for this year’s Armistice Centenary, it was followed by an event called ‘A Nation’s Thank You – The People’s Procession’, which also went past the Cenotaph – made up of about 10,000 members of the public, who had been chosen by ballot.
The UK Culture Secretary, Jeremy Wright said: “On the centenary of the Armistice, we will come together as a nation to stand in silence and honour the fallen of all conflicts. Over the past four years we have told the story of the First World War and the unique generation who served so bravely and made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Today, we will also give thanks for all those that returned and the peace they fought so hard for.”
Read more here about Britain’s nationwide commemorations.
Veterans’ remembrance parade (Photo: Centenary News/Anna Dacre)
Images © Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport – Flickr Creative Commons, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0; Centenary News (Cenotaph wreaths & veterans’ parade)
Posted by: CN Editorial Team