Portsmouth’s pride as hundreds fill Guildhall Square for city’s Remembrance Sunday service
GUILDHALL Square was lined with hundreds of people paying their respects at today’s Remembrance Sunday service.
Service personnel and youth organisations led by the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines led a parade to the Guildhall steps.
The lord-lieutenant of Hampshire, Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, leader of Portsmouth City Council, Portsmouth MPs and senior armed forces representatives attended the event.
As a multi-faith service, representatives of Christian, Muslim, Sikh, and Jewish community did readings which reflected on the sacrifice made by soldiers of all religions.
Applause broke out among the crowds as veterans, led by the Portsmouth Citadel Salvation Army Band, paraded onto Guildhall Square.
Following the service, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said: ‘It’s obviously been a very difficult 18 months for our country, and for Portsmouth.
‘It was so good to see loads of people here today paying their respects, especially because we are marking 100 years of the Royal British Legion.
‘It’s a really special day.’
Chief Petty Officer Paul Wareing moved from Morecambe to Portsmouth in February with his family.
He said: ‘It’s such a small service as opposed to here – in Morecambe there’s a couple of hundreds and here there’s a couple of thousand, the scale in comparison.
‘It’s nice to bring the family along, teach the children about what it means.’
Gosport resident Phillip Thorley wore his grandad’s air force medals to the service.
He said: ‘It’s lovely, nice to see people back out. To throw a service like this, it is something that the UK comes out for.
‘I’m proud to say I come every year and remember.’
Following the service, a wreath laying ceremony took place at the war memorials, during which a piper played a highland lament.
Portsmouth resident Craig Shaw, probationary instructor, took part in the parade.
Family Clare Cheeseman, Daniel Shaw, and Lauren Dawkins, were also at the ceremony.
Craig said: ‘It’s absolutely brilliant. This is my first ever parade. I was extremely nervous and excited at the same time.’
Retired Royal Marine Ryan Shelley, who now leads cadets at HMS Excellent RNVCC, said: ‘Really nice service. I really like that we’re back.
‘Remembrance is a really important time for us.
‘I’m unbelievably proud of my guys.’