Remembrance Day 2021: Full list of events taking place across Portsmouth, Gosport, Lee-on-the-Solent, Fareham, Portchester, Stubbington, Emsworth and Havant in 2021

The Royal British Legion describe the day as ‘a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life’.

Members of the Armed Forces in Britain and the Commonwealth, and their families, are commemorated and remembered for their service.

In Portsmouth there will be an Armistice Day service on Thursday, November 11 at 10.55am at the war memorial in Guildhall Square.

The short service will include a two-minute silence. During the service there will be a selection of readings and poems. This event is open to all members of the public.

There will also be a Remembrance Sunday Service and Parade on Sunday, November 14 from 10.30am until midday at Guildhall Square.

The Remembrance Service will be preceded by a parade of veterans, military personnel and youth groups in the Guildhall Square at 10.30am.

At 11am there will be a two-minute silence followed by the service. A wreath laying ceremony at the Cenotaph will conclude the morning’s events.

Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: ‘We’re delighted to be able to hold our Remembrance events in person this year, following last year’s virtual services. It’s important we continue to pay tribute to those who have given their lives in the service of their country.’

Gosport' s civic Remembrance ceremony returns to its familiar form on Sunday, November 14 at Gosport War Memorial Hospital.

An armed guard, courtesy of HMS Sultan, will form up on the road opposite the hospital. Joining them will be representatives from the Royal British Legion, veterans groups, Scouts, Guides, Sea Cadets, Air Cadets and other local organisations.

The parade will step off at 10.30am. The ceremony, conducted by the Rev Deacon Erica Wilkie, chaplain to the Royal British Legion, will start at 10.58am. Music will be provided by Gosport Solent Brass, and a bugler from the HMS Sultan Volunteer Band will sound Last Post and Reveille.

The mayor, councillor Mark Hook, will lay a wreath on behalf of the borough. He will be joined by the Queen’s representative from the Lord-Lieutenant’s office, Admiral Sir Philip Jones. Wreaths from civic, service and association representatives will then be laid.

On conclusion of the service a march past will take place in front of hospital, where the salute will be taken by the mayor and Admiral Jones.

In Lee-on-the-Solent, the Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial will be led by Rev Dr Paul Chamberlain from St Faith’s, starting at 10.50am on Sunday.

SEE ALSO: Firework displays in the area

In Fareham, a Remembrance Sunday service will be held at Holy Trinity Church on Sunday, November 14.

The names of loved ones who lost their lives as serving members in British Armed Forces' conflicts will be read out during ‘Forever Remembered’ at the war memorial, Holy Trinity Church at 9.45am.

There will be a parade from the Duke of Connaught's Own Club in Western Road to the war memorial stepping off at 10.36am.

The parade will march down Kings Road onto West Street arriving at the war memorial where the two minutes silence will be observed at 11am followed by the wreath laying ceremony and church service.

A display of handmade poppies created by Fareham residents will also be displayed at the church and will be sold to raise money for the Royal British Legion following the event.

The Mayor of Fareham, Councillor Pamela Bryant, said: ‘The people of Fareham are rightly proud of our military history and I hope that residents will join us on Remembrance Sunday in thanking the servicemen and women who have served our nation. This service is an important way to pay our respects to those brave individuals and remember those who sadly lost their lives.’

HMS Collingwood, in partnership with the Royal British Legion, has the honour of leading the Remembrance Parade to the Memorial. The Commanding Officer of HMS Collingwood will be attending the parade with HMS Collingwood's Volunteer Band.

Also taking place on Sunday, there will be an Act of Remembrance around the War Memorial in Stubbington Village starting at 10.15am.

Portchester will be holding its Remembrance event on Saturday, November 13.

Hundreds of people turn out for the annual event in Portchester Precinct, which starts at 10.15am, and is oragnised by Royal Navy Commander Steven Shaw.

Rev Dr Ian Meredith, he vicar of St Mary's Church, Portchester, will lead the service and Councillor Roger Price will make a speech before the Last Post is played and wreaths are laid by representatives from a rang of services such as the police, fire service, cadets, brownies, scouts and guides.

Cllr Price said: ‘It was shame that last year we could not do it but we are back to normal this year. I hope to see people there, and that they will still be taking the necessary precautions to stay safe.’

AFC Portchester will be holding its Remembrance event before their game on Saturday, November 13.

From 2.40pm the club will be holding a Remembrance event that will start with youth players and club officials reading out the names on Portchester’s war memorials from the First and Second World Wars and the Falklands War.

When the teams come out they will be lining up in front of the main stand and will lay wreaths on the pitch before a musician sounds the last post. A two minute’s silence will be observed before reveille is sounded.

Players will be wearing poppies on their kits and the club will also be unveiling a special remembrance wall which will display the names of all of Portchester’s fallen heroes.

All of the gate receipts from the game that day will be donated to the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal. The pre-match event will run from around 2.40pm to 3pm.

In Havant, people will gather at the War Memorial outside St Faith's Church in West Street for a 10.50am Act of Remembrance.

This will be followed by a Civic Service with the Mayor of Havant and MP Alan Mak in the church. Masks and social distancing will be kindly requested, as far as possible.

In Emsworth, a gathering will take place on Thursday, November 11 at 10.45am in Emsworth Memorial Gardens, at Emsworth Jubilee Recreation Ground, Coldharbour Farm Road,.

On Sunday, November 14 parish services will be held in St. James’ Church at 10am and St. Thomas à Becket at 10.55am.

Then in the afternoon there is a community service in St. James’ at 3pm.

Reverend Andrew Sheard said: ‘It is normally very heart-warming to see so many young people coming to honour those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. This year there is understandable caution. There will be no parade and many of the uniformed groups may not attend in force, but all are welcome.’

In London, on Sunday, November 14, the National Service of Remembrance will be held at the Cenotaph on Whitehall.

Starting at 11am, the service will commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women involved in the two World Wars and later conflicts.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) is the co­ordinator of the event, alongside colleagues from across government, the Armed Forces and veterans’ organisations.

No tickets or passes are needed for the event and the public are welcome to watch the ceremony from the pavements along Whitehall and Parliament Street. However, entry may be limited if the area becomes full. There will be video screens north of the Cenotaph, near the green outside the main Ministry of Defence building and outside the Scotland Office and south of the Cenotaph on the corner of King Charles Street.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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