The unusually large crowd, estimated by the Bailiff’s Office to number as many as 3,000, has been attributed to the fact that Remembrance Sunday, Armistice Day and the centenary of the end of the First World War have all fallen on the same date this year.
Commenting after the ceremony, which was one of many events commemorating the centenary throughout the UK yesterday, the Bailiff, Sir William Bailhache, said that it was the largest turnout he had seen for a Remembrance Day service.
‘Everything falling on the same day this year was a confluence of events, and it was great to see so many people out from all the different organisations,’ he said.
The service, which included the traditional two-minute silence at 11 am, saw uniformed and non-uniformed organisations laying wreathes alongside those of the Lieutenant-Governor, Air Chief Marshall Sir Stephen Dalton; the Bailiff; Chief Minister John Le Fondré; the Constable of St Helier, Simon Crowcroft; the Jersey Field Squadron; visiting Chelsea Pensioners; and the Island’s honorary consuls.
Other organisations represented at the Cenotaph included the Island’s emergency services, youth groups, the Salvation Arm and a veterans’ contingent.
The crowd heard prayers and readings from the Dean of Jersey, the Very Rev Mike Keirle; the Island’s Catholic Dean, Canon Dominic Golding; the Methodist Superintendent, the Rev Graeme Halls and a member of Jersey’s Jewish congregation.
See Monday’s JEP for a round-up of this weekend’s events.
