King leads nation in two-minute silence at Remembrance service to remember war fallen

The King has laid a wreath at the Cenotaph after leading the nation in a two-minute silence on Remembrance Sunday to honour the lives of those killed in conflict.

Wearing the uniform of Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Charles saluted as he laid the wreath closely resembling one produced for HM King George VI with 41 open-style poppy petals.

As Sovereign, the King is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and holds numerous military ranks and affiliations, including Captain General, Royal Marines; Colonel-in-Chief, The Parachute Regiment; Colonel-in-Chief, The Royal Gurkha Rifles; Honorary Commodore-in-Chief, Aircraft Carriers; and Royal Honorary Air Commodore, Royal Air Force Marham.

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The Prince of Wales, wearing the uniform of Lieutenant Colonel of the Blues and Royals, also saluted after laying his wreath at the Cenotaph. 

William previously completed seven and a half years of full-time operational military service and holds the titles of Colonel, Welsh Guards; Colonel-in-Chief, The Mercian Regiment; Colonel-in-Chief, Army Air Corps; Royal Honorary Air Commodore, RAF Valley and Commodore-in-Chief, Submarines.

Wreaths were also laid by the service chiefs, Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, Chief of the General Staff General Sir Roly Walker, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth.

Hundreds of onlookers, adorned with berets, poppies and military uniforms, lined Whitehall for the annual service, with veterans up to 105 years of age taking part. 

D-Day veteran Mervyn Kersh, who served in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, proudly displayed his medals for the camera. 

Mr Kersh wore his Jewish dog tags during WW2 and for the D-Day landings in Normandy. He is a recipient of the British Empire Medal (BEM) and was featured in the King's Honours list earlier this year.

Flight Lieutenant Geraldine Ngui-Parrick, who headed the march for the Royal Air Force contingent, told BFBS Forces News that she was "incredibly proud and honoured" to play such an important role in the service for the first time.

"Coming from Singapore, just to be able to represent the Commonwealth as well, to remember the people that have made the ultimate sacrifice is just amazing," she said.

"But we're also remembering not only the people that have fallen but also the people that are serving today.

"It's such a volatile world today, I guess it brings it home on moments like these, where you have a chance to stop and remember what you might all be facing.

"We know what the geopolitical situation is like at the minute and I think even more than ever we should be ready to stand up and defend our country and its interests."