Trafalgar Square fell silent today to remember those who had died in the First World War.
A lone trumpet marked the beginning of the two-minute Armistice Day silence, which saw hundreds of mourners gathered in the drizzle and traffic stopped in the street.
The British Legion’s Silence in the Square ceremony also featured performances from the Poppy Girls, military personnel and poignant operatic performances from Paul Potts.
A video of Afghanistan soldiers reciting the Flanders Field poem from Camp Bastion was shown to the crowd on the big screen, and the entire service was broadcast to British soldiers overseas via live streaming.
Lance Corporal Alex Oates, 27, from the Reservist 4 Rifles has just returned from a tour in Afghanistan and said: “Today has been impressive, as has every year.
“I know people who have been killed in Afghanistan, and today has allowed me to reflect on what we did out there.”
After the silence, poppy leaves were handed out to the crowd to drop into the Trafalgar Square fountains as a final act of remembrance for all British services around the world.
Chris Simpkins, Director General of the Royal British Legion, said: “Today’s Silence in the Square was very successful, and we had a good audience and more people than last year.
“We won’t know exactly how well the Poppy Appeal has done yet but on Friday the London Poppy Appeal alone broke the £1m point which is remarkable.
“Next year is the start of four years of commemoration for the centenary - but we must remember, it’s commemoration, not celebration.”
