REMEMBRANCE Day was a poignant occasion for servicemen who survived the First World War.

Among those who took part in the service at the war memorial in St Giles, Oxford, and the parade that followed were members of 128 (First Oxford) Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery.

But before they joined other veterans at the wreath-laying ceremony, they had another important engagement.

They would assemble at the top of the Town Hall stairs, where there was a plaque honouring the battery, and pay tribute to fallen comrades.

Then a soprano, standing on the stage of the main hall, would sing, unaccompanied, Abide With Me.

It was a busy weekend for the battery veterans, as the night before they always held their annual reunion dinners in Oxford.

Henry Harris, of Routh Road, Barton, Oxford, remembers attending three of the dinners with his father, Gordon, who served with the battery.

He has menu cards for the 16th reunion in 1946 at the Ross Cafe in High Street and the 17th and 18th dinners at the Roebuck Hotel in Market Street.

In 1946, for example, despite rationing still being in place, the veterans celebrated with a menu of oxtail soup, roast beef, roast lamb, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and potatoes, followed by trifle, jelly and cream, or stewed apples and custard.

At all three dinners, there were toasts to the King, the battery, fallen comrades and guests, and a minute’s silence was observed. Then came the cabaret, featuring artistes such as Oxford Mail cartoonist Alan Course and pianist Thelma Mace.

The 1948 dinner is thought to have been the last as, by then, the number of veterans attending was dwindling.

Little is known about Mr Harris’s war record, except that he was a gunner and first aider with the battery and he fought at Ypres in France and later in Germany. He was born at the family home at 13 London Place, St Clement’s, and was one of eight children. After surviving the First World War, he set up his own business as a painter and decorator.

He died at the age of 92.

Meanwhile, his son Henry, who worked at the Pressed Steel car body factory at Cowley for more than 40 years, became well known as a steward at Oxford United’s Manor Ground and as clerk of the course at Oxford speedway.