VETERANS and pupils at Neale-Wade Community College, March, fell silent at 11am today.

They remembered the men and women who have lost their lives fighting for this country.

Over 70 former forces personnel were saluted by army and RAF cadets from the college, as they walked into the remembrance assembly, which had readings by pupils, commemorating those who have lost their lives in World War One and Two, and in Afghanistan.

One of the ‘ever readies’, Warrant Officer Barry Howlett, served with the Territorial Army for 31 years, said: “The pupils should be told what it was all about. It’s important for them to know what happened.

“I haven’t missed a parade since I was a club scout, when I was about seven or eight.

“We even had a parade when I was on National Service in the Suez in 1956.”

Jenny Nickalls, Chair of Governors at the college, said: “It’s important for pupils to take part in the service.

“It has a lot of meaning to them, and the assembly brings it close to home.”

Mrs Nickalls on behalf of the Governing Body, Mr Phythian on behalf of the Neale-Wade Former Students Association, and the school’s youngest pupil Matthew Thorogood, laid wreaths on the college war memorials.

Aaron Short played a reveille after other pupils read out the Rolls of Honour.

Over 100 pupils and Members of the Royal British Legion, Cambridgeshire Regiment, Royal Anglian, Normandy Veterans and Battle of Britain Fighter Pilots associations, attended the assembly at the school, which has run every Friday before Remembrance Sunday for 15 years, to pay respect to their friends who fought with them and who lost their lives on service.