16 Air Assault Brigade marks Remembrance Sunday, 8 November 2015.

16 Air Assault Brigade marks Remembrance Sunday.

Troops from 16 Air Assault Brigade joined communities across Essex and Suffolk to mark Remembrance Sunday today (8 November 2015).

Soldiers were on parade for services at war memorials in towns and villages near their bases at Colchester, Wattisham and Woodbridge. In Colchester, soldiers based at the town’s Merville Barracks joined civic dignitaries, veterans and cadets and thousands of residents for a Remembrance service and silence at Colchester's War Memorial.

After the service some 90 soldiers from 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment and 16 Medical Regiment, led by the Band of the Queen's Division, marched to the Town Hall for a reception. They were joined by reservists from 36 (Essex Yeomanry) Signal Squadron, 71 Yeomanry Signal Regiment and 161 Medical Squadron, 254 Medical Regiment, veterans and youth organisations.

The soldiers were headed up by Brigadier Colin Weir DSO MBE, Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade. He said: “Remembrance is of great significance to the Armed Forces and it is a huge privilege for 16 Air Assault Brigade to join the communities where we are based for services to mark Remembrance Sunday. It is important for soldiers to take the opportunity to stand shoulder by shoulder with the civilian community to show our respect for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice or suffered life changing injuries.”

A private ceremony had been held earlier at the Memorial Garden at the town’s Merville Barracks for families of 16 Air Assault Brigade soldiers killed on operations to lay wreaths and pay tribute to their relatives. Wreathes were also laid at the First and Second World War memorials in Colchester Cemetery.

Three regiments are based at Wattisham Flying Station and all had soldiers at neighbouring towns and villages.

3 Regiment Army Air Corps had troops on parade and Apache attack helicopter flypasts at Remembrance services in Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, Needham Market, Aldeburgh and Barking.

Some 160 troops from 4 Regiment Army Air Corps paraded through Ipswich before a service at the cenotaph in Christchurch Park, including an Apache flypast. Smaller contingents were at services in Elmsett, Ringshall, Long Melford and Battisford.

7 Air Assault Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers sent soldiers to Hadleigh for a parade and service, as well as supporting services in Lavenham, Claydon and Bilderston.

In Woodbridge a marching contingent of 30 sappers from 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) and 61 Field Squadron, 36 Engineer Regiment, both based at Rock Barracks, joined the service in the town, and events at the town’s Grove Court care home and in Boyton, Alderton and Melton.