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Service marks lost WWI generation Service marks lost WWI generation
(31 minutes later)
Westminster Abbey is holding a special Armistice Day service following the deaths this year of the three remaining World War I veterans living in the UK.Westminster Abbey is holding a special Armistice Day service following the deaths this year of the three remaining World War I veterans living in the UK.
The Queen led the country in observing a two-minute silence at 1100 GMT for the "passing of a generation".The Queen led the country in observing a two-minute silence at 1100 GMT for the "passing of a generation".
Bill Stone died at 108 in January followed by both Henry Allingham, 113, and Harry Patch, 111, in July.Bill Stone died at 108 in January followed by both Henry Allingham, 113, and Harry Patch, 111, in July.
The monarch will lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and Mr Stone's daughter will give a reading.The monarch will lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and Mr Stone's daughter will give a reading.
Gordon Brown is also attending the service of remembrance along with former prime ministers John Major and Margaret Thatcher, although Tony Blair will be in the Middle East in his capacity as a special envoy. In his sermon, Archbishop Rowan Williams said WWI fundamentally shook the roots of society.
Actor Jeremy Irons will read Last Post by the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, during the service to recognise military and civilian contributions to the conflict. But he said it was not true that all moral conviction died in the trenches along with the millions of young men.
The gathering congregation consists of a wide cross section of people and generations. There are the relatives of the three last veterans of WWI in the UK who inspired the service, and there are the sons and daughters and grandchildren of other veterans, including those who never returned. Some are wearing their relatives' war medals.School children, whose only connection to the Great War is from history books, are also in attendance. A Union Flag that used to be draped over the bodies of the fallen during WWI has been placed hanging over the Abbey's tomb of the unknown warrior, which symbolises all those who died in the war. Alex Kleiderman, BBC News class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/8352507.stm">Audio slideshow: Tommies' tales class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7219">Send us your comments class="" href="/2/hi/business/8345411.stm">Relatives' stories He said the service acknowledged how that generation's refused to let idealism die.
"In the midst of that terror and butchery they found that they were still there. Maybe the simple fact of being real kept that generation faithful, creative and brave."
Afghanistan troops mark silence Scotland pays tribute to war dead Ceremonies mark world's war dead
Gordon Brown is also attending the service of remembrance along with former prime ministers Sir John Major and Baroness Margaret Thatcher, although Tony Blair will be in the Middle East in his capacity as a special envoy.
Actor Jeremy Irons read Last Post by the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, during the service to recognise military and civilian contributions to the conflict.
The silence, which is observed around the UK at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, marks the moment four years of war ended with the signing of the Armistice Treaty by Germany and the Allies.The silence, which is observed around the UK at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, marks the moment four years of war ended with the signing of the Armistice Treaty by Germany and the Allies.
A two-minute silence has been marked by troops at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.A two-minute silence has been marked by troops at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Prince Edward lead the congregation at a service of remembrance at the Armed Forces Memorial near Lichfield in Staffordshire.Prince Edward lead the congregation at a service of remembrance at the Armed Forces Memorial near Lichfield in Staffordshire.
The Royal British Legion is also holding two events, in London's Trafalgar Square and Swansea's Castle Square, for people who wanted to observe the two-minute silence with others.The Royal British Legion is also holding two events, in London's Trafalgar Square and Swansea's Castle Square, for people who wanted to observe the two-minute silence with others.
'Whale of a time'
Meanwhile, members of the public have gathered at Edinburgh's Garden of Remembrance for the silence, marked by a gun from Edinburgh Castle, while Glasgow's lord provost lead a remembrance service at the George Square war memorial.Meanwhile, members of the public have gathered at Edinburgh's Garden of Remembrance for the silence, marked by a gun from Edinburgh Castle, while Glasgow's lord provost lead a remembrance service at the George Square war memorial.
Relatives of Mr Allingham from Sussex, who was the world's oldest man, are attending the Westminster Abbey service along with the president of St Dunstan's, a charity for blind and visually impaired ex-service personnel. Relatives of Mr Allingham from Sussex, who was the world's oldest man when he died, are attending the Westminster Abbey service along with the president of St Dunstan's, a charity for blind and visually impaired ex-service personnel.
Afghanistan troops mark silence Scotland pays tribute to war dead Ceremonies mark world's war dead
Ray Hazan, 64, a former captain in the Royal Anglian Regiment, was blinded in 1973 by an IRA parcel bomb in Northern Ireland and became a friend of Mr Allingham's after his organisation started helping the 113-year-old in 2005.Ray Hazan, 64, a former captain in the Royal Anglian Regiment, was blinded in 1973 by an IRA parcel bomb in Northern Ireland and became a friend of Mr Allingham's after his organisation started helping the 113-year-old in 2005.
He told the BBC: "He was a great inspiration, a great man for going around schools and telling them what it had been like in the hope that people didn't do that sort of the thing again."He told the BBC: "He was a great inspiration, a great man for going around schools and telling them what it had been like in the hope that people didn't do that sort of the thing again."
Mr Hazan said he brought history alive for children and had a "whale of a time" doing it.Mr Hazan said he brought history alive for children and had a "whale of a time" doing it.
"Henry was active right up until his final months, celebrating his 113th birthday on board HMS President and although he was starting to show his age, he was jubilant about being a teenager again."Henry was active right up until his final months, celebrating his 113th birthday on board HMS President and although he was starting to show his age, he was jubilant about being a teenager again.
"We hope that men like Henry... can be an inspiration to the troops currently putting their lives on the line in Afghanistan.""We hope that men like Henry... can be an inspiration to the troops currently putting their lives on the line in Afghanistan."
Representatives from every county with links to the war are attending the service along with various members of the armed forces, government, ambassadors and high commissioners.Representatives from every county with links to the war are attending the service along with various members of the armed forces, government, ambassadors and high commissioners.