HERO soldiers from Afghanistan led tributes to the fallen at Manchester’s Remembrance Day service.
Civic dignitaries, ex-servicemen and women and serving soldiers from the Army, Navy, RAF and other military organisations were led to the war memorial at St Peter’s Square by the Manchester branch of the Parachute Regiment.
The parade included serving soldiers who have just returned home from frontline duties in Afghanistan.
Hundreds lined the route to the war memorial just hours after the latest British fatality in Afghanistan was confirmed.
The serviceman, from the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, was killed in an explosion near Sangin, in central Helmand Province. The death, on the eve of Remembrance Sunday, takes the number of British troops who have died in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001 to 231.
Crowds young and old clapped and cheered as the parade marched from the town hall to the war memorial.
The Last Post sounded ahead of a two-minute silence. Trumpeters from the Greater Manchester Police band then sounded the Reveille before wreaths were laid.
Faith leaders, including representatives from the Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and Jewish communities, joined the Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Manchester, and the Rt Rev Terence Brain, Bishop of Salford.
The Lord Mayor of Manchester, coun Alison Firth, led a host of civic names and famous faces, including Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton.
The Bishop of Manchester said: “We pay tribute to those of Her Majesty’s forces who within this past year have made the supreme sacrifice.
“We will remember them.”
Services of remembrance were held in towns and villages across Greater Manchester.
Wreaths were also laid at a war memorial desecrated by scrap metal thieves just days before Remembrance Sunday last year.
A service was also held at Philips Park cemetery in east Manchester.
Bronze plaques honouring more than 50 soldiers from both the First and Second World Wars that were ripped from a memorial wall have now been restored.
Click on the links below to see reports and photographs from Remembrance Sunday events around Greater Manchester:
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It seemed all the nation honoured and showed their respect to the fallen heroes apart from PM Brown who never bowed his head after placing down his reef. This morning I have heard of Brown getting a dead soldiers name wrong this man has brought shame on himself and contempt for the every soldier that has been killed in Afghanistan. This man is the most embarrassing PM in history his lack of not liking anything British is now beyond the pale.
sWINTON TOWN PEOPLE TRIED TO HONOUR AND SHOW RESPECT FOR THE FALLEN HERO'S AND FOR THOSE STILL SERVING IN THE FORCES, HOWEVER WITH TRAFFIC NOT BEING STOPPED FOR THE DURATION OF THE SERVICE, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, NOT ONLY HAS GORDON BROWN BROUGHT SHAME ON HIMSELF, SO AS THE COUNCIL OF SALFORD FOR NOT ALLOWING POLICE TO STOP TRAFFIC AT THE CENETAPH IN SWINTON.
Why was Bobby Charlton leading a bunch of MP's? I clapped every member of the forces who marched past me in uniform, Yes i stood there in my uniform also but I refuse to clap Bobby Charlton and the MP's most there for a free lunch. JOKE!
All heroes. Expect the politicians who can go to hell.