People across the east coast have been paying tribute to the fallen on a very different Remembrance Sunday.
A virtual Remembrance Service was broadcast online while private commemorations and closed events also went ahead in a socially distanced way due to the continuing coronavirus crisis.
A wreath-laying ceremony was attended by a small group of dignitaries in Great Yarmouth as there was no big public event at the Cenotaph in St George’s Park.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council tweeted: “Today on Remembrance Sunday we commemorate the contribution of the British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts.
“While unfortunately it was not possible to hold a public event this year, due to Covid-19 social distancing guidelines, the Mayor (Cllr Michael Jeal) took part in a private wreath-laying on behalf of the people of the borough.”
Also in attendance was the council leader, the High Steward Henry Cator, and representatives from the local RBL branch, emergency services and armed forces.
With the annual parade and service at Lowestoft war memorial suspended due to coronavirus restrictions, Lowestoft Town Council – who usually organise the event – created a virtual Remembrance Service that was streamed online on Sunday morning so people could pay their respects.
There were words from the mayor of Lowestoft, Alan Green, Royal British Legion chairman Phill Turner and poem readings from Ormiston Denes Academy students during the shortened service that was streamed online.
Waveney MP Peter Aldous, standard bearers, veterans, cadets, dignitaries and the public did however attend a short, socially-distanced service and wreath laying ceremony at Lowestoft war memorial on Sunday morning.
The unofficial remembrance event – which saw the standard bearers and veterans standing 2m apart on the fountains on Royal Plain – included a two minutes silence and short readings, before wreaths were laid by Mr Aldous, East Suffolk Council chairman Keith Robinson and representatives from numerous organisations. Sue Day, from Pakefield, attended with her horses Prince Albert and Bilbo Baggins.
At the Pakefield war memorial, the two minutes silence was observed by all ages in a socially-distanced turnout.
In Beccles there was no parade or service of remembrance, but a private wreath laying ceremony was attended by standard bearers as it was held at the town’s war memorial on St Mary’s Road on Sunday afternoon.
The names of the fallen were read during a closed event at Bungay war memorial on Sunday afternoon.
Organised by Bungay and District RBL and Bungay Town Council, it included an address by the Archdeacon of Suffolk, The Venerable Jeanette Gosney, along with the two minutes silence and laying of wreaths.
Earlier on Sunday morning, Lowestoft and Halesworth police officers had paid their tributes by laying the Suffolk Constabulary wreaths at the war memorials in Lowestoft, Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Southwold and Reydon.
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