THE crowds that turned out to pay their respects to fallen servicemen at Remembrance Sunday events around Oxfordshire yesterday shows that the depth of feeling towards the armed forces will never fade.

We call on county residents tomorrow to further show their gratitude to those who laid down their lives with a two-minute Armistice Day silence at 11am.

Few other events unite the nation in such a simple and poignant way.

By putting our hectic lives on hold – lives enjoyed through the freedom won by those brave service people – we are showing that their sacrifice will be remembered.

As Bampton’s Lee Mackie, who lost son Royal Marine Jason Mackie, 21, in Afghanistan in 2009, said: “It’s the last thing we can do when soldiers have given up their lives so we can live in a secure manner.”

With its strong military history, Oxfordshire has always shown strong support for the forces and has this year excelled itself in commemorating 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War.

From plays to exhibitions, residents and groups have gone out of their way to tell the story of the county’s role in the conflict with all its heroism and sacrifice.

At the forefront of celebrations has been the opening this year of Woodstock’s Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum, which includes collections of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars.

Another key feature of how the county remembers its war dead is the Turning of the Pages ceremony.

This simple act – reading out the names of those who lost their lives in the two world wars – exemplifies the dedication of so many to honour the memory of those who fought and died.

Warfare has changed immeasurably since the mass slaughter on the Western Front during the First World War.

After 13 years in Afghanistan, 453 British servicemen and women have died.

But while technology has changed and some risks have been reduced, they still enter the conflict with the knowledge that their lives could be taken at any time.

Their courage and patriotism in choosing to serve has not changed in 100 years.

We have done our brave armed forces proud from the moment they went to fight for our freedom.

Tomorrow we will show they will never be forgotten.