Remembrance Day service on Plymouth Hoe

The Lord Mayor, Councillor Dr John Mahony will be joined by HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO and the Lord Lieutenant of Devon for this year’s Remembrance Service on Plymouth Hoe on Sunday 8 November.

The Deputy Lord Mayor and Deputy Lady Mayoress, a representative of the Council Leader, the Shadow Leader and Council Chief Executive will also attend the service, which will remember all those who lost their lives in both World Wars and in all conflicts.

A two-minute silence will take place at the Royal Naval Memorial at 11am.

His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent will lay a wreath on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, followed by the Lord Lieutenant and then the Lord Mayor, who will lay a wreath on behalf of the citizens of Plymouth.

They will be followed by the Naval Base Commander and other representatives of the armed forces, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Merchant Navy.

A member of HMS Heroes will also lay a wreath, followed by pupils from Devonport High School for Boys, Hyde Park Junior School, Devonport High School for Girls and Compton C of E Primary School.

The Bishop of Plymouth, Rt Rev Nick McKinnel will conduct the service, which will last around 20 minutes.

Members of the public and local organisations will be invited to pay their respects and lay their personal wreaths at the end of the service, on the north side of the memorial, following the departure of the civic dignitaries.

His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent and the processional party will then take their places at the Civilian Memorial on Lockyer Street, where the Bishop of Plymouth will say a prayer. A poem will then be read by the city’s Poet Laureate Mike Sullivan.

Wreaths will be laid around the civilian memorial by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent, the Lord Mayor and the Naval Base Commander (on behalf of the armed services).

Oliver Colvile MP will lay a wreath on behalf of all three local MPs, followed by representatives from the police, fire, ambulance and coastguard services, Royal British Legion, Red Cross, Federation of Ex-Services and Women’s Royal Voluntary Service.

Members of the public are reminded that parking around the Hoe is limited. Some spaces will be available on the Hoe Promenade for blue badge holders from 9.30am to 1pm, but this will be on a first come, first served basis. Access to these spaces will be via Elliot Street only.

The Lord Mayor said: “The Remembrance Service is always a very important date in Plymouth. This year is even more poignant as it marks a number of significant anniversaries, most notably the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the 70th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day. It also gives us time to reflect on more recent conflicts and the continuing impact they have.

“We are particularly honoured this year to be joined by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent, who is still actively involved with all the military services and whose father unveiled the Royal Naval War Memorial Obelisk in 1924.”