THE PEOPLE of Newport turned out in their droves to mark one of the most important days of the year. 

Members from all kinds of community groups and military personnel were present at both the parade and service. 

The parade was led by the Newport Stedfast Band, with standard bearers, members from the Royal Air Force, cadets and both current and ex-service personnel, including a number of veterans, participating in the parade. 

Crowds of people lined the whole parade route as the march travelled from High Street in Newport, by the D-Day Memorial, up to the war memorial on Clarence Place. 

The roads were closed from 7am on the parade route to allow for all those who wished to partake in the march to do so safely, including groups such as Brownies, Scouts, Guides and some of the local emergency services like the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Welsh Ambulance Service. 

Once the march was complete, and all groups and onlookers had gathered around the cenotaph, The Right Reverend Cherry Vann, Bishop of Monmouth, was led to the cenotaph to begin the service. 

At exactly 10.58am, the service was begun, with a brief introduction before the Last Post was played, with the guns sounding at 11am for the two minutes of silence, which was observed impeccably by all those present at the service. 

Following the conclusion of the two minute silence, the commitment to remember was read out, before the exhortation and response from the crowd, and a number of prayers were read out by members of each of the military groups present, including prayers for the Armed Forces and the Royal Air Force. 

Following these speeches and prayers, there was a period of singing, led by the hymn 'I Vow to Thee My Country' and the British National Anthem. 

To conclude the service, organisations and dignitaries, were invited to lay their wreaths of remembrance around the cenotaph as a mark of commemoration. 

The special guests at the service included Jessica Morden, MP for Newport East, Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West and Islwyn, head of Newport City Council Dimitri Batrouni and mayor of Newport Ray Mogford.