VETERANS, Armed Forces personnel, Scouts, Cadets and VIP guests turned out to march through Romsey Town before laying wreaths and saying a prayer at the Memorial Park.

The Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire, Andrew Kent, High Sheriff of Hampshire, Philip Sykes and Brough Scott, the grandson of General Major, Jack Seely were each invited to lay a wreath upon the War Memorial which was unveiled in the park 100 years ago.

Jack, whose birth name was John Edward Bernard Seely, 1st Baron Mottistone, was a British Army general and a Member of Parliament. He was the Secretary of State for War for the two years prior to the First World War, before being forced to resign as a result of the Curragh Incident.

As General Jack Seely, he led one of the last great cavalry charges in history at the Battle of Moreuil Wood on his war horse Warrior in March 1918. He was a great friend of Winston Churchill and the only former cabinet minister to go to the front in 1914 and still be there four years later

Brough Scott, as the grandson of Gen Maj Seely, and biographer of the Great War soldier "Galloper Jack" Seely, wanted to attend Romsey Remembrance Sunday in honour of his grandfather and the War Horse in the Memorial Park.

The Parade march began from Love Lane at 9.10am on Sunday 14 November making its way to Romsey abbey for a 9.30am service led by Reverend Thomas Wharton. At 10.30am, the parade left the abbey and made its way to the Memorial Park for the Exhortation, the laying of wreaths and two minutes silence. The parade then made its way back towards Love Lane to end.

Judith Giles, chief officer at Romsey Town Council said: “It was such a fabulous day. Everything went according to the plan.

“The abbey service was very moving, when the poppies came down, that did it for me.”

Reverend Thomas Wharton led the service at the Romsey Abbey. He said: “The Remembrance Service and Parade showed Romsey at its best. Being one hundred years since the war memorial in Romsey was unveiled was always going to be a special occasion. But being able to gather together as a whole community to Remember after the challenging years we have just had made this such a memorable and uplifting occasion. It was particularly special to see young people involved both in the service and in the memorial park. The knitted field of poppies I’m sure will stay in the memories of many young people for a long time to come.”

All images credited to Terence Jamieson of the Romsey Viewfinders Camera Club