Bognor Regis Remembrance 2023: town pays tribute to fallen troops

Air, army and sea cadets, veterans and scout groups came together yesterday (November 12) to pay tribute to British and Commonwealth troops who lost their lives fighting all over the globe.

By Connor Gormley

Published 13th Nov 2023, 10:41 BST

Updated 13th Nov 2023, 10:45 BST

The parade, which also included members of district, parish and county councils, formed up on the Place St Maur at 10.30am, with banners, poppies and wreaths in tow.

Guided by Colour Sergeant Aden Huff, the parade marched down to the cenotaph outside Bognor Regis Town Hall, where soldiers who serving in conflicts past and present were honoured with a two minute silence, followed by a wreath laying.

Alongside the scout and cadet forces, wreaths were also laid by police officers, fire service crews, paramedics, local schools, serving MP Nick Gibb and community organisations like Crimsham Farm.

Organisers said they were pleasantly surprised by this year’s turnout, which was strong despite blustery winds, a haze of rain and anxieties left over from last week’s floods.

"It went really really well, it’s always a nice event and the weather held out for us, so we all stayed fairly dry,” said Colour Sergeant Huff. “We always have a really good turnout. It’s a shame we can’t make the parade longer. I think we all want to make it a bit longer, and start from the High Street, but for the moment we have to keep it short.

"There were lots of veterans, which was nice to see. We’re getting more and more every year, not just those in the parade, but those in the crowd, too.”