ANNAN TRIBUTE . . . the Royal British Legion colours are lowered during the town centre parade and service
Services of remembrance were held in churches and at war memorials where hundreds of people turned out in heavy driving rain to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice in past conflicts paid by current and previous generations of servicemen and women.
Civic leaders, Lord and Deputy Lieutenants and representatives of ex-service and youth organisations were among those laying wreaths with the largest parades and ceremonies being held at Annan, Dumfries and Stranraer.
Good turnouts were also reported at smaller communities such as an estimated 150 people who joined the ceremony at Hoddom War Memorial at Ecclefechan, despite atrocious weather conditions.
There was also a small poignant ceremony at Annan Cemetery when poppy crosses were laid by the town’s community council at the Commonwealth war graves.
A wreath was also placed at the final resting place of pilot Sergeant Angus Wood, who lost his life when his aircraft crashed in a flight from near-by RAF Chapelcross. A floral tribute has been sent each year since World War Two by members of his family in the south of England.
Across the region two minutes silence was observed at the services at various times although most were at the traditional 11th hour.
Meanwhile, in London, where The Queen led the nation’s tributes by laying a wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, Scotland Secretary David Mundell, MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, was among the political leaders officiating.
And in Edinburgh, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon attended a service in St Giles’ Cathedral during which she laid a wreath on behalf of the people of Scotland.
WELL ATTENDED . . . an estimated 150 people joined the remembrance day ceremony at Hoddom Parish War Memorial
BRAVING RAIN . . . Ecclefechan piper Jim Nesbitt
SERVICE . . . Rev. Dr. Frances Henderson at Hoddom
TRIBUTE . . . many people gathered at Hoddom Parish War Memorial
CEREMONY . . . among those taking part in the Ecclefechan ceremony were, left to right: 92-year-old community centre member Dorothy Casbolt, Rev. Dr. Frances Henderson, retired Army warrant officer Mark Barrett, former Grenadier Guard David Marshall representing Legion Scotland in Annan, past chairman of Hoddom and Ecclefechan Community Council Ben Graham and Piper Jim Nesbitt
MOVING SERVICE . . . a moment of reflection at Hoddom War Memorial
NEVER FORGOTTEN . . . ex-serviceman and Annan Community Council member John Bonner helped co-ordinate the placing of more than 200 poppy crosses on the graves of service personnel at Annan Cemetery
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