Queen leads the nation in honouring war dead on Remembrance Sunday

Thousands across the region joined services and parades across the North-East and North Yorkshire in memory of those killed in past and present conflicts

The head of state was joined by Prime Minister Theresa May for the annual service in London where more than 750 Armed Forces personnel were applauded by the gathered crowd as they marched to form a hollow square around the memorial.

Queen Elizabeth II lays a wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Picture: Sgt Ross Tilly/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA Wire 

As Big Ben struck 11am, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired their First World War-era guns to mark the beginning and end of the reflection in the heart of Whitehall. The Last Post was then sounded.

Dressed in black, the Queen laid a wreath of poppies at the memorial for "The Glorious Dead" while Mrs May and leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn followed suit.

In keeping with tradition, the Queen was joined by senior members of the royal family including the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince of Wales, who also laid wreaths.

The Duchess of Cambridge, Duchess of Cornwall and other royals watched on from the balcony of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Crowds of poppy wearers lined Whitehall, which was closed to traffic, hours ahead of the service to pay their respects.

After the wreaths were laid, the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Richard Chartres, led a service of remembrance.

Former prime ministers David Cameron, Tony Blair and Sir John Major were also present, along with London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Cherie Blair walk through Downing Street on their way to the annual Remembrance Sunday Service. Picture: David Mirzoeff/PA Wire

This year's service is especially poignant as 2016 marks the centenary of the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Jutland, the 25th anniversary of the Gulf War and the 80th anniversary of the first flight of the Supermarine Spitfire.

The British Army suffered almost 60,000 casualties on the first day of the Somme battle alone and more than a million men would be killed or wounded on both sides over the course of the 141-day offensive.

On June 30 and July 1, members of the royal family attended commemoration services in France and across the UK to mark the beginning of the bloody battle.

A soldier stands by poppies during the annual Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

In Darlington a special service was held in Holy Trinity Church on Woodland Road followed by a parade to the cenotaph at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Hundreds of people lined the streets to watch representatives of the Armed Forces, emergency services and community groups march to the Memorial, accompanied by a brass band.

Wreaths are laid in Darlington. Picture: Alexa Copeland

An Act of Remembrance and wreath-laying then took place at the cenotaph, along with an impeccably observed silence in memory of the fallen.

Large crowds gathered in Durham for one of the biggest military parades seen in the city for many years as part of the Remembrance commemorations.

Following the Durham Cathedral Remembrance Day service, featuring the two minutes’ silence, the large mix of uniforms represented from the various armed and civil services began to assemble outside on Palace Green.

Due to the numbers involved, the parade, which was scheduled to start by 11.30am, was delayed as all those taking part gathered in strict formation.

But, finally, by 11.50am, the advance was sounded and the parade began, winding its way round Palace Green, led by the Band and Bugles of the Durham Army Cadet Force, to the applause of the massed crowds of onlookers gathered outside the cathedral and nearby castle.

The young bandsmen and women were followed by a 30-strong detachment from 3 Rifles, the successors to the former county regiment, the Durham Light Infantry.

Other Army regiments, including the Royal Artillery, the Royal Dragoons Guards, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Foot Guards from the Household Division, the Parachute Regiment, the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Military Police also took part.

The parade included an All Arms veterans’ contingent, including those who gave service in full-time and/or reserve forces, including with the Merchant Navy, the Royal Observer Corps and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, to also take feature.

On leaving Palace Green, the parade headed down Owengate and Saddler Street before entering the Market Place, where Durham’s Mayor, councillor Eddie Bell, plus other civic figures and representatives of the military, emergency services and the judiciary took the salute, on the platform.

All those in the procession then stood down in Claypath, as the dignitaries and other guests retired to the Town Hall for refreshments,

Many of those who took part in the parade were also at the cathedral for Saturday evening’s Festival of Remembrance.

It also featured The Band of ­The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, the 102 Battalion Pipe Band, Durham Musical ­Theatre Company, the George Colley Singers and Hartlepool Community Choir, plus soloists John Rowland and Julie Pendleton.

Representatives and standards for the armed forces, the emergency services, youth organisations and veterans’ groups were also present at the concert, in aid of ABF, The Soldiers’ Charity.

Meanwhile, one of the largest established Remembrance Day events featured a parade and service in Sunderland.

Hundreds joined Sunderland Mayor Alan Emerson as the city paid its respects at the annual Remembrance Parade and Service. Picture: Paul Kingston/North News & Pictures

Led by The Royal Signals (Northern) Band and Bearpark and Esh Colliery Band, it featured members of The 4th Regiment Royal Artillery, which is adopted by the city, plus 3 Rifles. 21 Engineer Regiment, The Light Dragoons, 5 Armoured Medical Regiment, The Household Cavalry, and RAF servicemen, from Boulmer base in Northumberland.

Two 105mm field guns were fired from the terrace in Mowbray Park to signal the start of the two minute silence at 11am and Regimental Sergeant Major WOI Sean Armstrong who co-ordinated the parade.

Sunderland’s Mayor, councillor Alan Emerson, said Remembrance Sunday had particular personal poignancy as his own grandfather served in the Battle of the Somme, and was among thousands classed as, “missing in action”, from the first day of the bloody campaign which took place exactly 100 years ago in northern France.

Mayor of Sunderland Alan Emerson makes a commemorative address. Picture: Paul Kingston / North News & Pictures

Veteran George Waller, who served in the RAF in the Second World War, recited the first four verses of the famous war poem For the Fallen before the two-minute silence.

He was followed by veteran Len Gibson, a member of 125 Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery, who was a prisoner of war on the notorious Death Railway, in Burma.

He recited the Far Eastern Prisoner of War Prayer before the wreath-laying.

George Waller reads 'For The Fallen'. Picture: Paul Kingston/North News & Pictures 

The parade ended in a march past of veterans, serving members of the armed forces and community groups, with the salute taken by Deputy Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, Colonel Ann Clouston, Lieutenant Colonel Rob Alston, of the Royal Artillery, and the Mayor on the steps of Sunderland Museum.

Respects are paid at Sunderland's remembrance Day parade. Picture: Paul Kingston/North News & Pictures

The Swaledale Remembrance Parade set off from Reeth green 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, ex-servicemen, 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 preacher was Rev John Richards.

Music for the service was provided by Reeth Band and ‘The Last Post’ was played on the cornet by Paul Hutchinson. 

Reeth Brass Band leads the parade past the village war memorial

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 Geraldine Coates on behalf of Grinton parish council.

The service was followed by afternoon tea at Reeth Memorial Hall.

In Wensleydale, the numbers attending the ceremonies in the market town of Leyburn were given a boost by the addition of a platoon of soldiers from both the Yorkshire Regiment and the Light Dragoons. 

Salute: officers from the Yorkshire Regiment at  the Leyburn Remembrance Sunday Parade Ernie Tull  and other veterans watch-on

Wreaths were laid by official representatives and many other community organisations including a large number of scouts and guides. Six floral poppy tributes were solemnly placed on the town's war memorial by young people from the town's scouts, cubs, beavers, guides, brownies and rainbows.

Taking his place in the British Legion contingent was 90-year-old Ernie Tull, who wore his recently-donated replacement medals after a thief stole the originals from his home last month.

In Richmond, the morning  began with a parade led by the army and RAF, followed by groups of scouts, guides, cadets, veterans and civic dignataries, from the town hall to St Mary's Church.

After the service, led by Rev John Chambers, the parade marched down to the town's Friary Gardens for the laying of wreaths, two minutes' silence and the Last Post.

There, hundreds of residents and military personnel gathered before spilling out from the gardens and into Victoria Road. 

The parade then went on to the war memorial in Frenchgate for more wreath-laying.

Northallerton saw one of its biggest turnouts in recent years, with standing room only inside a packed All Saints' Parish Church. 

At the Act of Remembrance at the war memorial, wreaths were laid by, among others, John Hyde, the father of murdered Red Cap Ben Hyde, who laid his wreath on behalf of the Royal Military Police Assocation. 

Other wreaths were laid by Richmondshire MP Rishi Sunak, the Mayor of Northallerton, Cllr Claire Palmer and Deputy Lieutenant Jo Ropner. 

A parade had been led down the High Street by RAF Leeming personnel and Northallerton Silver Band, with representatives of the army, as well as RAF cadets and other youth organisations. There was also a flypast by three Hawk jets from 100 Squadron RAF Leeming.