THOUSANDS of people turned out for Remembrance Sunday ceremonies across West Oxfordshire.

In Witney more than 1,500 people gathered at the war memorial in Church Green, with many also taking part in the parade.

The parade, from the Market Square, was led by the standards of the Witney branch of the Royal British Legion, the RBL women’s section, the Royal Air Forces Association, the Royal Navy Association, the Canal Zoners’ Association and the 2120 Witney Squadron of the Air Training Corps.

The rector of Witney, the Rev Toby Wright, led the service, while the salute was taken by Group Captain Eddie Cole, of RAF Brize Norton, and Witney’s Mayor Peter Dorward.

The ceremony at the memorial was followed by a service at St Mary’s Church.

A Witney RBL spokesman said: “We had great weather and it was a great morning.

“I was very pleased and I think about 1,500 people attended. The event is always very well supported.”

Carterton’s Remembrance events were also well attended, with a large crowd gathering around the war memorial outside the town hall in Alvescot Road for the Act of Remembrance and wreath-laying, after a service at St John the Evangelist Church, in Burford Road.

The first wreath was laid by Mayor Lynn Little and Brian Crossland, the Deputy Lieutenant of Oxfordshire.

Deputy Mayor Maxine Crossland said: “It was extremely well-attended, by a large number of voluntary organisations and by a large number of the public.

“It seems to grow from strength to strength every year and it was a very impressive ceremony.”

Alan Corney, 79, from Fulbrook, who served in Malaya with the 13th/18th Royal Hussars, was among those who gathered to pay tribute to the fallen at Burford’s war memorial, in the town’s High Street.

He said: “It’s a very difficult day. My thoughts are always with those who have lost people.

“You have got to support and remember people who have gone. You cannot just ignore it.”

  • Last Thursday, 25 servicemen and women from RAF Brize Norton travelled to London to do their bit for the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

They were part of a team of 300 volunteers from RAF units, who sold poppies at London Underground stations.

The Brize Norton personnel raised funds at Bond Street, Marble Arch and Notting Hill Gate stations.