A two-minute silence was observed across Huntingdonshire to remember the nation’s war dead on Armistice Day.
The silence began at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month - the time in 1918 when the guns fell silent along the Western Front in Europe.
In Huntingdon, the mayor, Councillor Daryl Brown, laid a wreath at the Thinking Soldier memorial, watched on by members of the town’s branch of the Royal British Legion.
A short service was led by the Reverend Andrew Milton, of All Saints’ Church, before wreaths were laid by pupils from Huntingdonshire schools.
The Last Post heralded the beginning of a two-minute’s silence, impeccably observed by hundreds of people who had gathered in the town’s Market Square.
This Sunday, a parade joined by RAF Wyton Area Voluntary Band will begin at 10.35am via Malthouse Close, along Princes Street to Market Hill where there will be a service of Remembrance at 10.55am. At 11am there will be two-minute silence followed by laying of wreaths on the war memorial. The parade will then proceed along the High Street.
Crowds lined Market Hill in St Ives this morning (November 11), as the town gathered to mark Armistice Day.
With a poppy wreath laid underneath the war memorial, a two-minute silence was held to remember the armistice signed almost a hundred years ago, as well as those who gave their lives for it.
Debbie Townsend, town mayor, said: “I think this is the largest turnout we’ve had for many years and it’s just so gratifying to see the support that St Ives gives to Armistice Day as well as Remembrance Day. It’s unbelievable and it’s a real community event.”
The mayor will also be recognising the event by having breakfast with war veterans this weekend, before holding a Remembrance Day ceremony on November 13.
Joined for the first time by the 42nd Engineering Regiment, the event will be in Market Hill for a 10.30am start.
At Houghton Primary School, pupils embarked on a unique project as part of their remembrance commemorations.
Students worked with Debra Stuart from Hemingford Garden Ceramics to make and fire their very own poppies.
Head teacher, Mrs Georgina Young, said: “The process has taken a few weeks – the children made an individual poppy from clay with help from Debra and her team. The poppies were taken by Debra to be fired. The children then glazed their poppies and Debra took them to be re-fired. The results are stunning.
“Debra’s children are former pupils and she wanted to do something to say ‘thank you’ and felt that she could provide this for the children who are in the school today – in commemoration for 100 years since the battle of the Somme. It has been an amazing opportunity for them.”
The children are displaying the poppies outside on a grassy mound as part of their remembrance commemorations, before taking them home next week.
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