Armistice Day. Pic: S Pakhrin

Thousands gathered across the four boroughs on Sunday to remember fallen soldiers in a series of Remembrance services held throughout the day.

Around 1,000 people congregated outside Fairfield’s Hall in Croydon where servicemen and women along with members of the British Legion, civic dignitaries and youth groups attended an armistice sermon.

Reverend Colin Boswell of Croydon expressed to the crowd the importance of remembrance not only out of respect but also “to learn lessons that will help us fight for peace and long for a time when there is a world without war.”

In Hackney, police closed off Mare Street to accommodate a procession of ex-veteran association members, scouts and cadets, and volunteers from St John Ambulance, The British Red Cross and The Salvation Army.

A brass band led the parade up Mare Street to the cenotaph at St-John-at-Hackney Church on Lower Clapton way.

The church service included quotes that were read from first hand experiences of WW1 trenches, which gave the congregation an insight into the experiences of the fallen soldiers being commemorated.

Rector Rob Wicker of Hackney said: “It was really moving to see so many young people from the scouts, police cadets and St John Ambulance Service there.”

He added: “They very much embraced the meaning of remembrance Sunday.”

Across Lewisham and Tower Hamlets families and local dignitaries laid wreaths on war memorials while local bands played and choirs sung hymns.

A smaller service held in Blackheath called for the congregation to remember not only those who gave their lives on the front line, but also the sacrifices made by civilians on the home front that go unmentioned.

Silence fell over all congregations across the four boroughs for two minutes at 11am, as all attending bowed their heads to reflect and remember the sacrifice of fallen soldiers and the consequences of war.