TWELVE white doves of peace were released to fly over Alton’s Cairn War Memorial and circle twice above the heads of the 3,000-strong crowd as they raised their voices to sing the National Anthem to end a poignant Remembrance Day service on Sunday (November 11).

It was an Act of Remembrance that had begun with the haunting wail of the air-raid siren and the beating of drums as what was to be one of the biggest parades of uniformed organisations rounded the corner of Market Street and marched up the High Street to join the crowds assembled at the top of Crown Hill.

Led by the Band of the Boys Brigade and the colours of the Royal British Legion (RBL) the parade, from the smallest members of the scout and guiding movement to the medalled chests of the veterans, came to rest close to the Assembly Rooms where an instalment of red and black organza flowed from a top floor window, covered in over 700 poppies.

Each one was lovingly crafted by a member of the local community - most in blood red to remember the fallen from Alton, but some white, the symbol of pacifism - and others purple, to commemorate the animal victims of war.

Organised by the Alton branch of Royal British Legion (RBL) and Alton Town Council (ATC), this year’s Act of Remembrance service was led by the Revd Andrew Micklefield from the Parish of the Resurrection.

Following a Call to Remembrance, prayers and the reading of the Lesson, in his address Revd Micklefield sought to highlight the spirit and courage shown by those injured service men and women who now compete in the Invictus Games.

They, he said, were like those who lived through and survived the two World Wars, “unconquerable, undefeated” and with the strength, courage and perseverance “to bring something good out of awful circumstances.”

Now, instead of conflict, the Invictus athletes are engaged in the unifying challenge of sport - the lesson being that to achieve peace what is needed is a change of heart.

“The heart of the problem,” said Revd Micklefield, was “a problem of the heart.”

A reading of Clive Sanders’ poignant poem ‘Unless You’ve Been a Soldier’ and the wail of the siren gave way to the two minute silence, which was followed by the laying of the wreaths.

Announced by Gill Thorne, it was led by Alton Town Mayor, cllr Derek Gardner, who laid a wreath on behalf of Alton Town Council.

He was followed on behalf of East Hampshire District Council by cllr Glynnis Watts; on behalf of Hampshire County Council by cllr Andrew Joy; the family of Ernest George Horlock VC; by family and friends; by serving officers of the Royal Navy, the Merchant Navy, REME and the Royal Air Force.

Further wreaths were laid by members of the Royal Marines Association, the Royal Hampshire Regiment, the Burma Star Association, and the RAF Association; and by ex-servicemen representing the Alton branch of the Royal British Legion, the RBL Club and the RBL Riders.

There were wreaths laid by Hampshire Constabulary, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, South Central Ambulance Service; Alton Salvation Army, the Quakers, St Mary’s Catholic Church, St John Ambulance, Alton Masonic Centre, Alton Rotary, Alton Community Association, Alton Lions, Alton Chamber of Commerce, the Mid Hants Railway, Alton WI, and Alton Townswomen’s Guild. Followed by the young members of the Army Cadets, the Air Training Corps, the Boy’s Brigade, the Girl’s Brigade, the Scout Association, the Guide Association, Eggar’s School, Amery Hill School, Alton College, Alton School, Alton Football Club, Manor Colts FC, Alton RFC, Alton Conservative Club, and Alton Labour Party.

A special wreath from the people of Alton was laid by Alton Matters chair, Tanya Applegath.

Local school children then laid poppy crosses for each of the 43 men named on the War Memorial who lost their lives at the end of the Great War in 1918.

The haunting sound of The Last Post by lone bugler, Amery Hill School’s Deputy Headteacher, Martin Gibbs, heralded the delivery by young members of the Air Training Corps and the Army Cadets of the Legion Exhortation and the Kohima Epitaph and then a bracing Reveille.

Then there was the blessing and release of 12 white doves of peace, who flew over the Cairn before circling twice overhead, their feathers shining bright in the almost clear blue sky, as voices were raised for the National Anthem.