Service marks passing of World War I generation

|PIC1|The Queen has joined a special Armistice Day service today marking the passing of the World War One generation.

The service at London’s Westminster Abbey was held after the death earlier in the year of the last three veterans of the Great War living in the UK.

Bill Stone died in January at the age of 108, followed by Henry Allingham, 113, and Harry Patch, 111, in July. The daughter of Mr Stone, Anne Davidson, will give a reading from the Bible.

The Queen lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior before leading the nation in a two-minute silence to mark the “passing of a generation” and the moment the guns fell silent 91 years ago.

The two-minute silence was observed by troops at Camp Bastion and Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

The Duke of Edinburgh and Prime Minister Gordon Brown were present at the service, alongside the head of the Armed Forces, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, and the chiefs of staff of the Royal Navy, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, the Army, General Sir David Richards, and the Royal Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton.

The sermon was delivered by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, while the Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev Dr John Hall conducted the service.

A service of remembrance took place at the Armed Forces Memorial near Lichfield in Staffordshire, where the Earl of Wessex led the congregation.

In Glasgow, the Lord Provost led a remembrance service at the war memorial in George Square, while in Edinburgh the silence was marked by members of the public at the Garden of Remembrance.