Wolverhampton will come together to mark Remembrance Sunday - and the 98th anniversary of the end of the First World War - next month.

The city's annual Observance of Remembrance will be held at the Cenotaph in St Peter's Square on Sunday 13 November, 2016.

The Band of the Mercian Regiment Band will lead a parade including detachments from ex-Service, Regular, Reserve, Cadet Units and representatives of other local uniformed organisations.

The parade will step off at 10.35am, going via Prince's Square, along Lichfield Street into Queen Square, right onto Exchange Street and across Cheapside to St Peter's Square, where an Outdoor Drumhead Service - the traditional form for a religious service attended by troops in the field - will begin just before 11am.

This will be followed by a second service in St Peter's Collegiate Church.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend and Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Barry Findlay said: "The annual Observance of Remembrance is an opportunity for the people of Wolverhampton to pay tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces, past, present and future.

"This year's ceremony will be particularly poignant, as the nation continues to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War; I hope as many people as possible will be able to join us for this very important occasion."

Among those taking part in the parade will be veterans representatives from The Band of the Mercian Regiment, 1046 Fordhouses Squadron Air Training Corps, 1st Ashmore Park Brownies, 4th Battalion the Mercian Regiment, 210 Staffordshire Battery 103 Regiment Royal Artillery, 210 Battery Association, Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, the British Korean Veterans Association Wolverhampton Branch and Burma Star Association City of Wolverhampton Branch.

Also taking part are Girlguiding UK Tettenhall Division, National Association of Retired Police Officers (NARPO) Wolverhampton Branch, Penn Royal British Legion, Polish Ex-Combatants Association, RAF Cosford, RAF National Service Association Cosford Branch, Royal Air Force Assoc City of Wolverhampton Branch, RAOB GLE, Wolverhampton PG Lodge and Royal British Legion City of Wolverhampton Central Branch.

Others represented in the parade include the Royal Engineers Association Wolverhampton Branch, St John Ambulance Wolverhampton Area, Territorial Army Veterans, Boy's Brigade Wolverhampton Battalion, West Midlands Fire Service - Black Country North Command, City of Wolverhampton College, Wolverhampton & District United Ex-Service Council, Wolverhampton South District Scouts, SSAFA Wolseley House, National Service Royal Armoured Corps/4/7 Royal Dragoon Guards and the War Widows Association of Great Britain.

Wulfruna Street will be closed from 8.30am until approximately 11am for the parade to take place. Drivers are advised there will be temporary disruption to vehicles approaching the parade route between 10.30am and approximately 10.50am.

Members of the public can also pay their respects at the Royal British Legion City of Wolverhampton Central Branch's annual service of remembrance at the Cenotaph on Friday 11 November, 2015.

Preceded by a short parade, the service will begin at approximately 10.50am and will include the Kohima epitaph and the Royal British Legion, followed by exhortation and 2 minute's silence at the 11th hour of the 11th month - 98 years on from the moment the guns finally fell silent, marking the end of the First World War.

And the city will commemorate the Dutch soldiers stationed at Wrottesley Park during the Second World War at the annual Dutch War Graves Service of Remembrance at Jeffcock Road Cemetery on Saturday 12 November, 2016. It takes place at 10am and will be preceded by a short parade which will form up at 9.40am.

For more information about the Observance of Remembrance, please contact the Mayor's Office on 01902 554090 or email themayor@wolverhampton.gov.uk.

  • released: Wednesday 19 October, 2016