Services to honour fallen war heroes

A CROWD of more than 500 people gathered in Newhaven on Sunday to remember those who laid down their lives for their country.

After a Remembrance service at St Michael s Church, led by the rector, the Rev Joseph Harper, the procession made its way to the Fort Road memorial accompanied by the Air Training Corps band and Newhaven Youth Marching Band.

The two-minute silence was broken by the sounding of the Last Post by an ATC bugler.

The Exhortation was said by Colonel Peter Howard-Harwood, President of the Newhaven Royal British Legion.

Wreaths in honour of the war dead were laid by the Mayor of Newhaven, David Fitton, and by representatives of HMS Pursuer, the Sussex Naval Officer Training Unit at Sussex University, Naval, army and Air Force Associations, and Newhaven Lions and Lioness club members.

The parade continued to the Canadian War Memorial, in South Way, to honour the Canadian soldiers who died in the Dieppe raid. Two Canadian veterans laid wreaths.

The Peacehaven Remembrance Sunday procession met at the Meridian Centre to begin the march to the Church of the Ascension.

A service, led by the Rev David Hider, was held in the Garden of Remembrance and the names of the 26 men on the Peacehaven war memorial were read aloud.

The Last Post was sounded by a bugler from Peacehaven Scout Band. The Exhortation was read by president of Peacehaven Royal British Legion Frank Easton.

Wreaths were laid by Lynn Turner, the wife of Peacehaven and Telscombe MP Des Turner, the Mayor of Peacehaven Cllr Pauline Howard, the Royal British Legion, Peacehaven Lions and Lioness club members, Naval and Royal Air Force Associations, Peacehaven Rate-payers Association, Peacehaven Town Council member Regina Mitchell, scouts, guides, cubs and brownies.

After a service at the church the procession marched back to the Meridian Centre, where a wreath was laid at the clock presented to the town by the Legion at the centre s opening.