"WE REMEMBER those who died. We remember those who were scarred. And we remember with gratitude those who gave up their lives for their friends."

Veterans, disabled ex-servicemen and their families joined together in an emotional service at the parish church in Holdenhurst on November 11 to pay tribute to their fallen comrades on Armistice Day.

Rev Andy McPherson led the remembrance service for residents from the Bournemouth War Memorial Homes and representatives from the armed services.

Standard bearers from the Royal British Legion, Royal Engineers, Bournemouth Aircrew Association and the Royal Army Service Corps were among those honouring the veterans who went before.

Mayor of Bournemouth Cllr Ted Taylor read the first lesson from Romans 8, and Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Dorset David Fox led the Act of Remembrance, before the Last Post echoed throughout the parish church and the congregation fell silent for the two-minute mark of respect.

It was an especially poignant service for former WREN Elaine Hart, a member of Bournemouth's Ex-Wrens Association.

She lost her husband, who served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War and in the siege of Malta, just last year.

"I am wearing his medals with pride today. It was a marvellous service and very helpful."

In Sandford, youngsters stood alongside veterans to observe the two minutes silence at the eleventh hour.

About 40 children from Sandford First and Middle School gathered at the memorial in the village near Wareham. Members of the Royal British Legion and others from the local community also joined together to hear local priest, Paul Simester, say prayers after the silence.

In Poole the traffic lights around the roundabout surrounding the civic offices stopped for the two minutes.

More than 100 people were there to hear the proceedings, led by Poole Mayor Cllr Lou Knight.

In the lychgate at St Michael's Church in Blandford Road, Hamworthy, around 28 people gathered to observe the silence, while school children were due to place 164 wooden crosses in the garden surrounding the Swanage memorial.

Veterans and cadets joined Mayor of Christchurch, Cllr Josephine Spencer, to observe Armistice Day in the town with a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial stone in Quay Road.

A large group of ex-servicemen with medals and supporters wearing their poppies with pride gathered around the monument erected 10 years ago to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Poppy wreaths were laid at the foot of the memorial by the mayor, Christchurch Royal British Legion branch president Eric Barnes and Lt Brett Bader, officer commanding the Grange School Combined Cadet Force, whose members provided a guard of honour.

As the bells of the nearby Priory tolled the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, Mr Barnes intoned the "they shall not grow old" exhortation and standards were dipped while bugler Bruce Worthy sounded the Last Post.

The two-minute silence was ended when Mr Barnes read the Kohima epitaph "for your tomorrow we gave our today" and the strains of Reveill sounded before vicar of Christchurch and Legion branch chaplain the Rev Canon Hugh Williams led a brief service.

First published: November 12, 2005