BRAVE heroes of war were honoured by hundreds of people during a special ceremony to remember all those who lost their lives for their country.A special service was held in Christchurch Park, in Ipswich, yesterday for the people of Ipswich to mark Remembrance Sunday.

BRAVE heroes of war were honoured by hundreds of people during a special ceremony to remember all those who lost their lives for their country.

A special service was held in Christchurch Park, in Ipswich, yesterday for the people of Ipswich to mark Remembrance Sunday.

Other services were held across the county including Felixstowe, Hadleigh and Stowmarket.

In Ipswich people from across the town, young, old, in groups and alone, came together on the wet and dull morning to mark the occasion with hymns, prayers and the traditional two minute silence at 11am.

The feeling among the crowds seemed to be that the day wasn't just about remembering those who have died in past wars but also about honouring all the young men and women who are caught up in conflicts today.

David Brett, 58, of Dales Road, in Ipswich, said: “There have been so many wars since the Second World War.

It's the politicians who make the decisions but it's always the ordinary people who give up their lives.”

Major Andy Howarth, from the 4 Regiment Army Aircorps, said: “It's so important to honour those who lost their lives in the two major conflicts of the last century and it's particularly relevant for us at the moment as we have a lot of our friends away in Iraq and Afghanistan and friends who will be away at Christmas.

“It's also important to think about the amount of people who are being injured in theses conflicts - for every person who has died several more are injured.

“It's not just the older generations, there are people in their 20s who are affected by it and there are quite a few women and children here today who have got their partners away at the moment.”

The Ipswich Boy's Brigade lead the parade through the town before the hundreds of uniformed men and women marched into the park for the service.

Wreaths were laid by County leaders and Ipswich mayor Inga Lockington as well as representatives from regiments around the county and Suffolk Police.

Sir Michael Lord MP also laid a wreath in memory of Reg Driver the president of the Ipswich branch of the Royal British Legion who died last week.

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