Armistice100: Hornchurch falls silent to mark the anniversary of the end of the First World War

Hundreds flocked to Hornchurch this morning to mark the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day and pay their respects to the fallen.

A parade led by the Romford Drum and Trumpet Corps and followed by youth groups such as the Hornchurch and Upminster Sea Cadets, scouts, guides, as well as veterans, MP Julia Lopez and deputy mayor of Havering Councillor Michael Deon Burton, marched proudly through the High Street.

Before the two-minute silence and wreath laying outside St Andrew’s Church where the procession stopped, Reverend Barry Hobson spoke to the gathered crowds about the historic occasion.

He said: “In 2014 we marked the war’s beginning and we commemorated its significant events during the last four years.

“Now, we’re remembering its ending.

“These years of remembrance have helped new generations understand more of what their grandparents and great-grandparents went through.

“The hardships they faced, the courage they showed and the faith they shared has become more real to us.

“But as we reflect on the end of the war, we also want to look forward in hope.”

The service then continued inside the church with readings including that of the poem In Flanders Fields which was read out by Terry Trimmer and hymns.