Crowds gathered in Chatteris yesterday to honour Cambridgeshire’s fallen war heroes at “one of the busiest” Remembrance Sundays ever.

Cambs Times: Chatteris RemembranceChatteris Remembrance (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of people lined the town’s streets throughout the day and a total of 39 wreaths - more than ever before - were laid. North East Cambs MP Steve Barclay read a psalm and the head boy and girl of Cromwell Community College gave a reading as part of the church service, which was lead by canon Wendy Thomson.

The special guest on the day was French Colonel Ghislain Huyghues Despointes.

Donations towards the Poppy Appeal at St Peter & St Paul’s Parish Church also raised £474.

Major Norman Larke, chairman of the Chatteris branch of the Royal British Legion, was presented with a gold medal for his services to the RBL.

Cambs Times: Chatteris RemembranceChatteris Remembrance (Image: Archant)

He said: “It went absolutely brilliantly.

“I thought it was extremely good and very well attended; so was Friday’s armistice event. I believe there were more people who turned up for the two-minute silence than they have ever had.

“Some people said the Remembrance Sunday parade was the best one they have ever seen.”

The wreath-laying was organised by Linda Behagg and her husband Andrew.

Representatives of RAF Alconbury, the police, scouts, brownies, cadets, Peterborough Hindus and Sikhs, Whitemoor Prison and a number of local charities attended and laid wreaths. Councillor Carol Cox, mayor of Fenland District Council, laid a wreath representing FDC. Chatteris Town Councillor Anne Hay said: “Everyone involved thought it went off very well; there were a lot more people than in previous years and more wreaths laid than ever before.

“The church really was full, and it was encouraging to see a lot of young people.

“The weather was glorious, especially considering how it had been in the earlier part of the week.”