People in towns and villages in The Herald area will attend Remembrance Day services on Sunday to remember the fallen of two World Wars — and also the sacrifices of young men today in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At Wallingford, mayor Alec Hayton will take the salute at the war memorial in Market Place, backed by his fellow councillors in full robes.

After the wreath laying, he will lead people into the civic church of St Mary-le- More for a service led by the rector, Rev David Rice.

The Act of Remembrance will be in Market Place at 11am.

At Didcot, a parade will proceed from Edinburgh Drive and up Broadway to the war memorial behind the Civic Hall and the Act of Remembrance will take place there at 3pm.

In Abingdon, the mayor, Patrick Lonergan, will lead the service of remembrance in the parish church at 10am.

Following the service, a parade will march to the war memorial, where the Act of Remembrance will by conducted by Rev Charles Miller Last Post and Reveille will be sounded by Alison Rich, the principal cornet player with Abingdon Town Band who has played the solo at Remembrance services for the last 16 years.

Wantage will have two Acts of Remembrance — one at the war memorial in Charlton at 9am and a bigger service at the parish church at 11am.

The service at the parish church will be taken by Rev Canon John Salter.

One man who believes strongly in the value and need of Remembrance Sunday is the 108-year-old veteran of two world wars, William ‘Bill’ Stone.

Well after his 100th birthday, he was regularly seen on the streets of Watlington with his collecting tin, his medals and his poppies.

Now too frail to do the outside work, he still wants people to remember.

He said: “I think it is very important fior everyone to remember the sacrifices made by the people in the armed forces.

“They gave their lives —and men and women today are doing so in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“People really should remember.”

Mr Stone, a former Royal Navy serviceman, used to visit schools when he lived in Watlington to tell young people about the two world wars and to encourage them to respect the armed forces.

Wallingford mayor Alec Hayton, a former military policeman, said he wanted to urge people to show their solidarity with the armed forces by attending the Remembrance services in the region..

He said: “These are very important occasions.”