Brighton pays respects to fallen troops on Remembrance Sunday

At 9.00am a short service was held for the Royal Sussex Regimental Association at the War Memorial in Regency Square, Brighton.

Bruno Jones, who served nine years in Yemen with the 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment in 1963, attended the ceremony and reflected on the horrors of war.

Bruno Jones at the war memorial in Regency Square, Brighton (Image: The Argus)

“It’s so important to remember those who died,” said the 81-year-old.

“Not just in World War I and World War II, but in all the other wars we’ve had since.

“War is a terrible thing and many people lose their lives.

“It’s very sad and it’s like a wave. It also harms families and friends.

“I lost a friend of mine, so I always remember him.

People during the two minute silence in Old Steine ​​Gardens, Brighton (Image: The Argus)

“Private Barnes, he was only 18.

“I could never make sense of why we were out there.”

People gathered at the war memorial in Old Steine ​​Gardens in Brighton (Image: The Argus)

At 10.30am hundreds of people gathered in Old Steine ​​Gardens in Brighton for the traditional parade, service and wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial.

The Salvation Army Chapel performed hymns and read poems and prayers to commemorate all those who lost their lives in the war and continue to be affected by the war.

The Salvation Army (Image: The Argus)

Brighton MPs Caroline Lucas and Lloyd Russell-Moyle attended the service and laid a wreath along with representatives of the armed forces and other organisations.

Caroline Lucas MP after laying a wreath at the war memorial (Image: The Argus)

After 45 minutes, the service ended and the long line of service personnel that made up the parade exited the memorial while onlookers lined the street to clap as they passed.

Another veteran, who only wanted to give his name as Des, served with the Royal Signals from 1997 to 2018 and is still a reservist.

Des at the War Memorial in Old Steine ​​Gardens (Image: The Argus)

He said he knows many people who have died on duty and his niece was at the parade.

“I have a lot of friends who haven’t come home,” he said.

“You think about it a lot.

“I think about her all the time.

“It’s important to remember those who are no longer here and it’s great to come here with so many other people to remember.”

People are waiting to lay wreaths (Image: The Argus)

There were many other services held throughout the county.

There were two events in Hove.

At 11am, two wreath-laying services took place in Hove Cemetery on Old Shoreham Road – the first at the North Gate Memorial followed by another at the South Gate Memorial.

Soldiers in the parade (Image: The Argus)

There was then a 2:30 p.m. ceremony at the War Memorial on Grand Avenue, which included a brief service and an official wreath-laying ceremony, followed by a march, salute and parade to All Saints Church and the Civic Memorial Service.

In Portslade, a wreath-laying ceremony took place at 11am at the Easthill Park Memorial on Manor Road.

In Rottingdean there was the traditional parade and service at 11.30am, moving on to The Green at 12pm for a memorial service.

Memorial Sunday in Worthing (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

In Worthing, large crowds thronged the town center for a service and parade at the war memorial.