COMMUNITIES across Lowestoft, Southwold and Waveney paid respect to the country's fallen this week with tributes on Sunday and Wednesday.On Sunday there was a parade organised by the Royal British Legion which marched through Lowestoft town centre to the war memorial on Royal Plain.

COMMUNITIES across Lowestoft, Southwold and Waveney paid respect to the country's fallen this week with tributes on Sunday and Wednesday.

On Sunday there was a parade organised by the Royal British Legion which marched through Lowestoft town centre to the war memorial on Royal Plain.

A large crowd in the region of 800 people stood in silence to honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in two world wars and other conflicts.

Civic dignitaries including Waveney MP Bob Blizzard and Lowestoft Mayor Malcolm Cherry joined veterans, representatives of the armed services and members of the public.

The occasion was even more poignant as the loss of servicemen and women currently serving in Afghanistan was still fresh in everyone's memory.

Ivan Sharpe, 84, of Clarkson Road, Oulton Broad, was wounded in the D-Day Normandy landings when he was just 18 years old.

'I was amazed at how many people came up to me during the parade and shook my hand. It was excellent,' he said.

A small contingent of the Royal Naval Patrol Service Association held their own service at the memorial in Lowestoft's Belle Vue Park. The service was conducted by Padre Tim Jenkins and attended by the national chairman of the RNPSA.

At Southwold the parade marched from the Market Place to the memorial outside St Edmund's Church.

It was organised by the Southwold and Reydon branch of the Royal British Legion and took place only a few days after the death of long-standing member Derek Doy, husband of Southwold Mayor Sue Doy.

There were also services in many villages including those at Corton where those taking part included Adrian and Alex Barnes, from the United States.

Adrian and Alex are grandson and great-grandson of Lt Com R Edwards who was killed during the second world war while defusing a bomb on Corton beach.

At Blundeston the service of remembrance was attended by Lady Somerleyton and members of the local branch of the Royal British Legion.

At 11am on Wednesday, November 11, marking the 91st anniversary of the first world war armistice, a large crowd gathered again around the war memorial, in Lowestoft, to mark the two minute silence.

Those attending included civic leaders, veterans, armed service personnel and schoolchildren.

The service was led by retired clergyman Rev Duncan McMann, of Lowestoft.