City Hall Remembrance service marks 110 years since Somme

City Hall held its annual Remembrance Service on Friday 6 November, marking 110 years since the Battle of the Somme. For Crouch End, the service that matters is on Sunday morning: the wreath-laying at Hornsey War Memorial, 151 Park Road, is at 9.45am on 8 November. The full Haringey list, from Hornsey to St Saviours Court, is on our Remembrance Sunday page.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the Chair of the London Assembly, Andrew Boff AM, gave readings and laid wreaths at the City Hall service, the Mayor’s press office said (London City Hall). It is run with the London Assembly and the City Hall Branch of the Royal British Legion.

What the service marked

Alongside the dead of the two World Wars and the 110th anniversary of the Somme, the service remembered three more recent conflicts:

• 35 years since the Gulf War
• 30 years since the end of operations in Bosnia
• 15 years since the end of Operation Telic in Iraq

The Rt Revd Lynne Cullens, Bishop of Barking, led the service. Representatives of the Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Jewish and Humanist communities gave readings and prayers, and the London International Gospel Choir sang.

Who laid wreaths

Wreaths were also laid by the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Alastair King, and by senior figures from the Armed Forces, the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade, the British Red Cross, the Royal British Legion and London Councils, among others.

London borough mayors and leaders were among the guests, with serving personnel, veterans, cadets, reservists, Assembly Members past and present, and Greater London Authority staff. The press office did not list which boroughs attended.

What the Mayor and the Assembly Chair said

Sadiq Khan said: “Our annual Remembrance Service provides an important opportunity to honour the courage, sacrifice and service of all those who have served our country. Together we remember how they have given their lives to defend our freedom and how our brave servicemen and women continue to stand up for everything that we believe in.

“This year, we reflect on the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme and those that fought courageously in the Gulf War, Bosnia and Iraq. We must never take for granted the freedoms that we enjoy and the debt that we owe to all those who fought to protect us, as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”

Andrew Boff said: “Remembrance Day is a time to honour those who gave their lives in service to our country, and to reflect on the countless lives lost and forever changed by conflict around the world.

“As we remember their courage and sacrifice, we also reaffirm our commitment to peace, stand against the horrors of war and genocide, and recognise the suffering endured by innocent civilians.

“The London Assembly joins people across our city in paying tribute to all those who have served, and those who continue to serve today. We owe it to their memory, and to future generations, to strive for a world in which peace triumphs over conflict.”

Remembrance Sunday near Crouch End

Haringey Council has published these times for Sunday 8 November (Haringey Council):

There is no separate Crouch End service. Hornsey’s memorial is the small red-brick chapel in front of the health centre, about fifteen minutes’ walk from the Broadway. The two-minute silence is at 11am. Armistice Day itself, Wednesday 11 November, has a 10.45am gathering at the Garden of Remembrance in Tottenham Cemetery.

The 3pm St Saviours Court service falls on the second night of the Alexandra Palace fireworks, so expect crowds and closed roads around the park that afternoon. Our fireworks page lists the closures.