A round of applause rose from the crowd as guest of honour John Dennett, age 101, rose from his wheelchair to lay a wreath
Remembrance Day service at St George’s Hall(Image: Andy Teebay)
Liverpool united in solemn silence this morning in remembrance of those who have lost their lives to the horrors of war. A sea of umbrellas washed over the steps of St George’s Hall this Remembrance Sunday, as thousands of people gathered to pay their respects to the fallen.
A round of applause rose up from the crowd as guest of honour John Dennett, age 101, rose from his wheelchair to lay a wreath of poppies on Liverpool Cenotaph. A veteran of the WWII, John joined the Royal Navy aged just 17 and served at every major allied landing including, North Africa, Italy and Normandy.
Also paying their respects were civic, military and religious leaders, including MPs, the Kings representative for Merseyside Lord-Lieutenant Mark Blundell, the Lord Mayor of Liverpool councillor Barbara Murray, the High Sheriff of Merseyside, the honorary recorder of Liverpool, and the Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.
Music from the Band of The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and The Pipes and Drums of The Liverpool Scottish Regimental Association rang out over the plateau, followed by memorial prayers.
At 11am, a field gun was fired by 103 Regiment Royal Artillery to mark the start of a poignant two-minute silence. A bugle rendition of the Last Post rang out over a silent crowd.
This was followed by a large military parade past the cenotaph. Among the crowd, a number of former and serving military personnel – including some in full uniform and medals – gathered to show their respect, and to meet with other veterans.
Alan Cowley, who served in the Territorial Army for 30 years from 1969, and whose father served in WWII, said: “I see them (other veterans) once a year, and when you see them again, it’s as if you’ve never been away.
“Even veterans that you don’t know, you see them here and even if you don’t know them you can go and say hello. They’re like family.”
Jason Smith, a former Royal Marine attending the service, said: “I think two words can describe it: arduous and relentless. I was based in Taunton at first and then I went down to Stonehouse Barracks, and then to Somerset.
“I come every year. It’s all about respecting the fallen, respecting the brave, respecting the dead. A lot of us have lost mates. It’s not just that, it’s the bravery of the men of the First and Second World Wars. There’s not many of them left.”
Lewis Ellison, who served in the army in Afghanistan, said: “I retired 10 years ago, but I always come every year. It reminds me of what I used to do. It’s a very tough job. Lots of people lost their lives. Some people lost their limbs.”
Sean Trezise, of the Royal Ligistic Corps, the suppliers for the British Army, said: “It’s one of the biggest units in the UK, but I was in a maritime regiment. We moved everything by water. I’m in my 40th year and it’s a big old laugh, and I’d do it all again. The comraderies you get between military personnel and civilians is different. You meet a lot of friends. It is close. Everybody keeps in touch.
“There’s not many World War II veterans left now, and we’ve all got to go at some point. But it’s good that we’re still able to get these older guys out and recognise what they have done through the years.”
