Helicopters and march through Ipswich for Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday saw a marching parade, a helicopter flyby and various speeches at Ipswich's Christchurch Park. <i>(Image: Newsquest)</i>
Remembrance Sunday saw a marching parade, a helicopter flyby and various speeches at Ipswich's Christchurch Park. (Image: Newsquest)
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Ipswich fell silent to remember fallen heroes of the past and present as spectators saw marching parades and helicopters fly by for Remembrance Sunday.

Huge crowds gathered at Ipswich's Cenotaph in Ipswich on Sunday morning for the event organised by the Royal British Legion in partnership with Ipswich Borough Council.

The event marks 107 years since the end of the First World War and more than 80 years since the Second World War, in which 600 people from Ipswich lost their lives.

Huge crowds gathered at Ipswich's Christchurch Park. (Image: Newsquest)

Two Apache helicopters carried out a flyby for the event. (Image: Newsquest)

Spectators saw two army Apache helicopters conduct a flyby over Christchurch Park as well as a marching parade around the town from serving soldiers, cadets, veterans and members of the emergency services.

Staff Sergeant Ralph Girling, 88, who served between 1964 and 1982 as an army medic and later an instructor, said: "Remembrance means so much to me."

He said: "I've lost a lot of really great friends at war, including one of my closest friends being killed in Afghanistan and my grandfather, who was killed in the First World War.

Staff Sergeant Ralph Girling, 88, who is from Ipswich and served between 1964 and 1982. (Image: Newsquest)

"It's all about remembering those fallen comrades to me and making sure this doesn't happen again.

"If we stopped doing this, I wonder where we would go as a country.

"I've never missed one of these, and I don't think I ever want to."

Ipswich Mayor Stefan Long was at the event. (Image: Newsquest)

Mayor Stefan Long and Lady Clare Euston, Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, took the salute at the march past at the end of the parade.

Cllr Long said: “We come together to remember those who gave their lives to protect our democracy and freedoms.

"It is important that we as a community continue to reflect on these sacrifices by ordinary people, made on our behalf. "

A number of religious leaders were welcomed to speak at the event, including leaders of the Sikh, Muslim, Hindu and Catholic communities in Suffolk.

Vicar of the town and civic church of Ipswich, Reverend Tom Mumford.Vicar of the town and civic church of Ipswich, Reverend Tom Mumford. (Image: Philip JC King)

Reverend Tom Mumford said: "We remember before God all who died in the First and Second World Wars and the many international conflicts since 1949.

"We remember all of those in the civilian and armed services who died, or who suffer today in the effects of combat.

"We remember the destructive effects of war on individuals, their families and their nations across the world.

"We pray for a time when such sacrifice may never again be required."

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