THE town fell silent at this year’s mayoral remembrance service on Sunday.

Basingstoke and Deane’s mayor Councillor Paul Frankum, Basingstoke’s MP Maria Miller, and a 94-year-old Second World War veteran were among those who joined in the parade and service held on Sunday 12 November at Basingstoke’s war memorial.

Reg Bryant, a former artillery soldier, who now lives in Popley, was one of the many people who joined in the Mayor’s Remembrance Service at Basingstoke’s war memorial outside the Civic Offices in London Road.

Reg served as a gunner and a driver during conflict in North Africa, Italy, and Palestine. He was also deployed to prisoner of war camps in Austria and Germany when the Allies were seeking out SS troops.

Reg only received his medals last year in time for the Remembrance parade in 2016, which you can read about here.

After the service, Reg met Cllr Paul Frankum, Mayoress Cllr Jane Frankum, and Maria Miller MP.

The Remembrance Sunday service began with a parade of the Mayor’s party at 10.45am, including the Mayor’s Chaplain, the Rev Arthur Botham, who led the service.

The parade was made up of a number of organisations, including the Scouts and the Salvation Army, who provided the music as the parade marched down New Road and London Road to where the war memorial is. The parade then continued back on to London Road, and into War Memorial Park.

A flypast from RAF Odiham preceded the Last Post and Exhortation, followed by two minutes’ silence at 11am.

The traffic on London Road was also stopped at 11am for the two minutes silence.

Mayor Cllr Paul Frankum said: “We are proud to pay tribute to our armed forces who fought and gave their lives in conflicts by marking Remembrance Sunday with this annual service at Basingstoke’s war memorial.

“The sacrifices that have been made ensured that our future generations are able to live in peace and freedom.”