A time to reflect and remember 'our boys'

Church services, parades, ceremonies at war memorials and a two-minute silence will honour people who gave their lives.

Special events will also be held to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.

They include a service at the repatriation memorial garden, in Monahan Way, Carterton, at 2pm on Sunday. The garden was established to mark the route of repatriations of fallen soldiers from RAF Brize Norton to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital.

The service will be led by the Rev Bill Blakey and West Oxfordshire District Council’s chairman, Norman MacRae, who represents Carterton North East ward, will lay a wreath on behalf of the council.

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Mr MacRae said: “The formal recognition by the council of the onset of the First World War gives an opportunity for us to remember those that have fallen in conflict during the past 100 years”.

Royal British Legion Oxfordshire chairman Jim Lewendon said the Poppy Appeal was vital to support service personnel.

He said: “These young lads coming from Afghanistan need so much care and attention, and we need to give it. It’s a very special and important event to me.’’ Mr Lewendon, from Girdlestone Road, Headington, has been selling poppies on behalf of the RBL for more than 40 years.

The Poppy Appeal UK target is £40m after raising £39m last year.

The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Mohammed Abbasi, said: “Wearing the poppy means carrying on an important tradition.”

• Witney Remembrance Day in 2012

WEST OXFORDSHIRE

• Witney. Sunday, November 9: Town councillors will gather at the war memorial on Church Green from 10.30am. There will be two minutes’ silence and wreath-laying at 11am followed by the annual Remembrance service at St Mary’s Church.
• Eynsham. Sunday, November 9: St Leonard’s Church, High Street, Remembrance service will begin at 10.45am.
• Chipping Norton. Sunday, November 9: Royal British Legion members will form up outside Sainsbury’s in the Market Place at 10.30am to parade to St Mary’s Church, Church Street, for 10.45am. Inside, there will be two minutes silence at 11am, after which groups including Chipping Norton Town Council, the RBL and cadets will lay wreaths.
• Carterton. Sunday, November 9: A Remembrance Service at the Repatriation Memorial Garden, in Monahan Way, at 2pm.

• The Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Tim Stevenson, walking with the mayor of Banbury, Nicholas Turner, during last year’s Banbury Remembrance parade

CHERWELL

• Bicester. Sunday, November 9: St Edburg’s Church, Church Street, will hold a Service of Remembrance at 10.45am. It will start at the war memorial and then move inside the church. At 10.45am, the Christians of Bicester will come with the mayor and civic leaders to mark Remembrance Sunday. The service will conclude with a parade through the town of uniformed groups.
• Banbury. Sunday, November 9. At 10am there will be a parade from Banbury Town Hall to St Mary’s Church for a 10.45am service, followed by the laying of wreaths at the war memorial in People’s Park and a return parade to Broad Street.
• Bloxham. Sunday, November 9: The Remembrance Sunday Parade will begin at the war memorial in The Square at 10.45am. The assembly of ex-service personnel and all uniformed youth groups will be followed by a parade marching to St Mary’s Church, Church Street, for a service of dedication. After the service the organisations will parade to the Elephant and Castle pub.

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE

• Didcot. Sunday November 9: A parade from Edinburgh Drive car park at 2.45pm up Broadway to the gardens next to the Civic Hall for 3pm. A 45-minute service will include wreath-laying. There will be refreshments at the Civic Hall afterwards.
• Wallingford. Sunday, November 9: Wallingford Market Place from 10.40am. A parade will include airmen from RAF Benson and Wallingford Army Cadets, after which the Mayor will take the salute. A bugler will sound the Last Post at 11am, followed by two minutes’ silence. RAF Benson helicopters will fly past at 11.02am.
• Chinnor. November 9: A Remembrance Service from 10.50am at the War Memorial, High Street, will be followed by a service at St Andrew’s, Church Lane.

• A serviceman at the memorial in Abingdon for last year’s Remembrance Parade and Service 

VALE OF WHITE HORSE

• Wantage. Sunday, November 9: Wantage Silver Band, war veterans and cadets will assemble at The Beacon civic hall, in Portway, at 10.30am and parade to SS Peter and Paul Church, in Church Street, for 11am. Following two minutes’ silence, poppy wreaths will be laid on the war memorial.
• Abingdon. Sunday, November 9: A Remembrance Service will be held at St Helen’s Church, East St Helen Street, from 10am. Town councillors will then walk to the war memorial at 11am for the laying of the wreaths.
• Faringdon. Friday, November 7: A Festival of Remembrance will be held at All Saints’ Church, in Market Place from 7.30pm. Sunday, November 9: A service will be held at the church from 9.45am, then mayor David Price and town councillors will march to the war memorial under the old town hall, in Market Place, at 10.45am. There will be two minutes’ silence at 11am then wreaths will be laid.
• Dry Sandford. Sunday, November 9: A service will take place at St Helen's Church, in Church Lane, from 10.50am.

• Last year’s parade in St Giles, Oxford 

EVENTS AROUND OXFORD

• City centre. Sunday, November 9: St Giles’ War Memorial, Oxford from 10.45am. The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Mohammed Abbasi, will lead the service which will include city rector the Rev Robert Wilkes and faith leaders from the city.
• City Centre. Sunday, November 9: Christ Church Cathedral, St Aldate’s, Remembrance Service from 10am. Tuesday, November 11: Service of Remembrance from 10.45am.
• Summertown. Sunday, November 9: St Michaels and All Angels Church, in Lonsdale Road, will hold a Remembrance service at 10am.
• Headington. Sunday, November 9: Act of Remembrance, St Andrew’s Church, in St Andrew’s Road, from 10am. Tuesday, November 11: A Community Act of Remembrance will be held at St Andrew's Primary School, in London Road, from 10.30am.
• Botley. Sunday, November 9: Remembrance service from 10.45am at the Commonwealth War Graves section in Botley Cemetery.
• Kidlington. Sunday, November 9: A service will be held at St Mary’s Church, in Church Street, at 10am for 40 minutes. There will be two minutes’ silence at 11am, then a parade to High Street. Tuesday, November 11: Two minutes’ silence in High Street at 11am.

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