Residents pay respect at annual Kettering Remembrance Day parade and service - picture speical

Veterans, service personnel, civic dignitaries, cadets and residents have gathered to pay their respects on Remembrance Sunday in Kettering.

After an inspection of cadet forces in Market Square and a march to the cenotaph, a Service of Remembrance was led.

Members of the Kettering Branch of the Royal British Legion were joined by guests including Lord Lt James Saunders Watson of Northamptonshire, The High Sheriff of Northamptonshire Crispin Holborow, Mayor of Kettering Cllr Keli Watts and MP for Kettering Philip Hollobone.

Among the hundreds paying their respects was Second World War veteran 95-year-old Bill Gristwood.

He said: “Coming here means the war and that I came out alive.”

Brian Taylor, president of Kettering RAFA and his daughter Geraldine Cullun, spoke the words of Remembrance .

Rev Jane Burns, deputy chaplain to the Kettering Branch of The Royal British Legion was joined by Rev Helen Wakefield Carr, the Mayor’s Chaplain, Rev Samuel Silungwe, vice-chairman of Kettering Churches Together. Cllr Dr Anup Pandey read a Hindu peace prayer.

Mr Gristwood joined the Navy at the age of 16 years and 9 months. He saw six-months war service, spending VE Day in Malta and VJ Day in Sydney.

Laying a wreath on behalf of Korean War veterans was 90-year-old Michael White who also paid his respects to his comrades on Armistice Day.

On behalf of the parade Mr Hollobone spoke the words of The Kohima Epitaph.

He said: “When you go home today tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today.”