Enlarge imageLONDON (Reuters) - Thousands of war veterans from Britain and the Commonwealth will march past London’s Cenotaph memorial today to honour their fallen comrades.
The Queen along with other members of the Royal Family will attend the Remembrance Sunday ceremony with Prime Minister Tony Blair and leading politicians.
There will be added poignancy this year as British troops continue to serve in conflict zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Some 29 British soldiers have been killed in action in Iraq since the conflict began in 2003, four in the last two weeks.
Several thousands veterans are expected to march past the memorial on Whitehall, just a few hundred metres from the Houses of Parliament and Blair’s home in Downing Street.
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As Big Ben sounds 11 o’clock, a traditional two-minute silence will begin.
Its start and conclusion will be marked by the firing of a gun from Horse Guards Parade by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
At the end of the silence, Buglers of the Royal Marines will sound the Last Post.
The Queen will then start the wreath-laying ceremony by placing a circle of poppies on the Cenotaph.
Also placing wreaths will be other members of the royal family, political leaders, Commonwealth ambassadors and representatives of the armed forces and emergency services.
Approximately 9,000 ex-Service men and women and up to 1,500 civilians are expected to take part in the march past the memorial.
