PEOPLE from across the region braved the wet weather to honour members of the armed forces killed in conflict on Remembrance Sunday.
See more pictures from Remembrance Day events throughout the region
With poppies pinned to their chests, thousands braved a bitterly cold morning to pay tribute to those who gave their lives.
In Darlington, dignitaries and representatives of the Armed Forces led a parade to the town’s Cenotaph.
A large crowd gathered at the monument, situated at the Darlington Memorial Hospital, to watch as wreaths were laid in honour of the dead.
With heads bowed, people of all ages listened to prayers led by the Venerable Nick Barker, Archdeacon of Auckland.
Jenny Chapman MP lays a wreath during a Remembrance Day service at the cenotaph in Darlington. Picture by Stuart Boulton.
As 11am approached, a bugler sounded the Last Post, marking the beginning of a minute’s silence.
Before the crowd gave voice to the national anthem, the chairman of Darlington’s Royal British Legion recited the well-known epitaph: “When you go home, tell them of us and say for your tomorrow, we gave our today.”
D-Day veteran Frank Hughes lays a wreath during a Remembrance Day service at the cenotaph in Darlington. Picture by Stuart Boulton.
The Queen led the nation in honouring members of the armed forces killed in conflict at the Cenotaph in central London.
She was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, other senior royals and members of the leading political parties.
The Queen lays a wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall
Also present was King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands who laid a wreath following an invitation from the Queen to mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands after the end of the Second World War.
The Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry, and the Duke of York also laid wreaths, as the Duchess of Cambridge, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, the Countess of Wessex, and the Princess Royal's husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, looked on from the Foreign Office balcony.
Prime Minister David Cameron was the first politician to lay a wreath, followed by Jeremy Corbyn who was wearing a poppy, and participated in the singing of the national anthem.
Mr Corbyn had previously attracted wide criticism for not singing the anthem at the Battle of Britain 75th anniversary commemorations.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is pictured with Prime Minister David Cameron at the event
Other members of the royal family, politicians, and high commissioners also laid their tributes as crowds lined Whitehall for the service, at the heart which was a two-minute silence marked at the beginning and end by the firing of an artillery gun.
The Chelsea pensioners march during the annual Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph memorial in Whitehall.
Hundreds of service personnel joined the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, the Mayor of Sunderland and veterans for this year's Remembrance Parade in Sunderland.
The parade started at 10.35am from the Civic Centre and was led by The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals and the Bearpark and Esh Colliery Band.
Units in this year's parade included: 4 Regiment Royal Artillery (Sunderland's adopted regiment), Guards 24 Platoon, 2nd Infantry Training Battalion and crew from HMS Ocean.
Flags are lowered during the ceremony in Sunderland
They were joined by contingents 9th Army Air Corps, The Light Dragoons and 1st Battalion REME and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment,
The largest contingent of the parade this year was provided by 4th Regiment Royal Artillery. Representatives of the regiment, which received the Freedom of Sunderland in 1974, travelled from their base in Topcliffe, North Yorkshire to take part. The regiment also provided the Regimental Sergeant Major tasked with co-ordinating the parade.
Mayor of Sunderland, Councillor Barry Curran, said: "Remembrance Sunday is an opportunity for everyone in Sunderland to pay tribute to those who fought in conflicts past and present and the many who gave up their lives for their country.
"It's also really important that we use this occasion to honour the servicemen and women of today and let them know how much we value what they do and appreciate the sacrifices they make on our behalf.
"The sad loss of those young men from this city who have lost their lives in recent conflicts will be especially close to our hearts as we remember all those who have paid the ultimate price."
As in previous years, veteran Ted Hold, President of the Sunderland Branch of the Parachute Regimental Association, recited the first four verses of the famous war poem 'For the Fallen' before the two minute silence.
This was followed by veteran Len Gibson, a member of 125 Anti Tank Regiment Royal Artillery who was prisoner of war on the notorious ‘Death Railway’ in Burma. He recited the Far Eastern Prisoner of War Prayer before the wreath laying.
Earlier this year a memorial service and Dedication of the Memorial Standard for the 160th (Wearside) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (RFA) was held at Sunderland Minster. Funded by Sunderland City Council, the Standard is a permanent reminder of the Brigade. This year was first time in decades that it flew alongside those of their comrades at the annual Remembrance Parade.
Cllr Curran added: "It is fitting that a century after the men of the 160th Wearside Brigade took their first salute from the then Mayor as they marched off to war, that I should now represent the people of our city to receive their Standard in the Service of Remembrance."
The parade ended in a march past of veterans and serving members of Her Majesty's Forces. A salute was taken by the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, Susan Winfield OBE, the Mayor of Sunderland, Commander Ian Berry, Royal Navy and Brigadier Gerald Strickland, 4 Infantry Brigade, from the steps of the Museum in Borough Road.
On Wednesday November 11, residents and visitors to the city will be asked to pause for a two minute silence and remember Armistice Day. Everyone in the city is invited to join Sunderland City Council staff in observing the two minute silence.
Maroons (explosive charges) will sound at 11am, and again at 11.02 to bring the observance to an end.
The mother of a soldier shot dead by a man wearing Afghan police uniform laid a wreath of poppies at a North-East war memorial bearing his name.
Lieutenant Edward Drummond-Baxter, who lived with his parents near Consett, County Durham, and Lance Corporal Siddhanta Kunwar, from Nepal, were killed in Afghanistan three years ago.
Lieutenant Drummond-Baxter’s name has been added to the cenotaph in Medomsley, and this morning his mother, Helen Drummond-Baxter, attended the Remembrance Day service.
Helen Drummond-Baxter at the war memorial in Medomsley which bears her son's name
Mrs Drummond-Baxter, who lives in Leadgate, said: “With Edward being killed in Afghanistan there is now a memorial with his name on it. It means so much to us. It is a very difficult time of year for us.
“We were really not prepared for this, but he was good soldier and loved it. He always wanted to be a soldier.”
Lieutenant Drummond Baxter, from 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, was attached to 40 Commando Royal Marines, and was attending a meeting with Afghan uniformed policemen inside Checkpoint Prrang in the southern area of Nahr-e Saraj when one of the men opened fire.
The 29-year-old was on his first tour of Afghanistan and had only been in the country for a month.
Not forgotten: Lieutenant Edward Drummond-Baxter of 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Mrs Drummond-Baxter said: “We must remember them all. We must never forget them ever and most of the people at the service here today have got some relative or other that has been killed in action somewhere in the world. We should remember them all.”
The service was held at first at Medomsley Methodist Church and then at Mary Magdalene Church, where the names of fallen servicemen from the area were read out at the Cenotaph.
Methodist Minister Keith Hopper said: “During this service we remember those who have kept our borders clean and given us our liberty during these days.”
“We come here to remember our freedom and remember that freedom never comes free.”
Rev David Cleugh, Rev Keith Hopper and Royal Marine Chris Burns
At the war memorial, a crowd gathered, despite the chilly autumnal drizzle.
A Union Flag standard was lowered and raised, a saxophonist played The Last Post and Reverend David Cleugh led those attending the service in singing God Save The Queen.
Rev Cleugh said: “War is an assault on our imperfect world.
“War is horrifying in many different ways, not just in the many casualties it causes, but also for those who come back maimed and the damage it causes to British society.”
Another more recent casualty of war was also remembered in his home village of Hamsterley, County Durham.
Jaquie Holloway, mother of Captain Richard Holloway, killed during active service in Afghanistan in 2013, read a litany of remembrance while a cross made of shell casings by Cpt Holloway’s brothers-in-arms was displayed in St James' Church to represent all those who have sacrificed their lives.
Honoured: Captain Richard Holloway
Accompanied by husband, Neil Holloway and two of Cpt Holloway’s colleagues from The Royal Engineers, the family then laid a wreath at the village’s war memorial where his name has been added.
Captain Richard Holloway’s parents, Jaquie and Neil lay wreaths at the war memorial in Hamsterley which bears his name.
Durham County Councillor, Heather Smith, also laid a wreath on behalf of the council along with several others and the The Last Post was played during the minute’s silence at the ceremony.
A large service and parade was held in Barnard Castle. People gathered at St. Mary’s Church, in Newgate, where a service was led by Reverend Canon Alec Harding following a two minute silence at 11am.
Following the church service, the annual parade along Newgate to the war memorial in the grounds of The Bowes Museum was held for a further Act of Remembrance and laying of wreaths.
War veteran and Honorary Freeman of the town, Joe Swinbank, 99, also attended.
Organisers of The Royal British Legion parade in Richmond, North Yorkshire, said the event attracted a higher than usual turnout, which was particularly impressive given the poor weather.
Richmond MP Rishi Sunak joined the march for the first time before it stopped at St Mary’s Church, for a service led by the Rev John Chambers.
The Parade leaves Richmond's Market Square
The parade then headed to the war memorial in Friary Gardens for a Ceremony of Remembrance, where the last post was sounded and wreaths were laid by the deputy Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Linda Curran, schools and clubs.
More wreaths were later laid at the Green Howards memorials on Frenchgate.
Swaledale's Remembrance Parade set off from Reeth green during a brief break in the afternoon’s rain to the accompaniment of ‘Slaidburn’ played by Reeth Brass Band - who led the marchers to St Andrew’s church at Grinton.
Residents and councillors from the dale were joined by scouts, fire fighters, Richmond RAF cadets and representatives from the Young Farmers’ Club and Reeth Show Committee in playing their respects to the local men who had died in both world wars and more recent conflicts.
The service was led by the Vicar of Swaledale with Arkengarthdale, Rev Caroline Hewlett, and the curate Rev Alison Stewart Smith, while the preacher was Deacon Joy Sykes from the Methodist circuit who works on Catterick Garrison.
Braving damp weather in Reeth
Music for the service was provided by Reeth Band and ‘The Last Post’ was played on the cornet by Oliver Carr from Marske.
The lesson was read by Ralph Court and the names to be commemorated were read by Ralph Porter. Wreaths were laid by Coun Jennifer Kendall on behalf of Reeth parish council and by Coun Harold Brown on behalf of Grinton parish council.
The service was followed by afternoon tea at The Buck Inn, Reeth.
A veteran from Saltburn, whose distinguished wartime service included the liberation of the Belsen death camp, was invited by Saltburn councillor Stuart Smith to lay a wreath on behalf of the Mayor of Redcar & Cleveland Borough at the Saltburn Cenotaph.
Eddie Straight, now 95, said "I lost a lot of friends, I'll never forget. Twelve of us trained together. Only two of us came out of it alive"
Cllr Stuart Smith, Eddie Straight and Craig Hornby
Cllr Smith said "It is a great honour to lay the wreath of behalf of the borough but it was extra poignant this year to do so with a veteran and one as esteemed as Eddie".
Mr Straight left Saltburn aged 19 and within a year had proved himself of sufficient mettle to be given command of some 60 Dartmoor prisoners released to help rescue people from burning buildings during the blitz.
From there he was posted to Buckingham Palace where he became a chaperone of the teenage heir to the throne, Princess Elizabeth. He then joined the 11th Armoured Division where rose to Co. Sgt. Major, the highest rank outside of officer class.
He took part in D-Day and saw action all the way to the Baltic liberating Belsen along the way. After VE day he was then sent into the Burmese jungle with a platoon of West Africans to fight the Japanese.
His epic story was brought to light in a powerful documentary that was screened across Teesside to critical acclaim earlier this year. Craig Hornby, director of 'Eddie Straight-To Hell and Back' and who filmed today's ceremony, said
"It is very humbling to get to know someone who has been through what he has. He came within millimetres of becoming another name of the cenotaph but he was lucky. He was only wounded - by several bullets, bayonets and a mortar bomb. He got to live and as such became an unknown soldier himself.
"Not enough recognition is given to those who came back and quietly got on with their lives albeit haunted by what they had been through. That is why I made the film and why I have also nominated him for the Freedom of the Borough to the Mayor of Redcar & Cleveland.
"I am hoping his epic service to the cause of freedom will be recognised soon".
The nomination was backed by all three Saltburn ward councillors, Cllrs. Smith, Thomson and Hannaway plus the Deputy Leader of the Council David Walsh.
Craig is currently arranging a special one off screening event at the Cineworld multiplex in Middlesbrough for either December or January. Mr Straight's film will be shown along with another that he made last year in association with the Friends of Redcar Cemetery entitled "Redcar Remembers The First World War".
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