THE people of Marlow have been praised by the town's Church of England chief for turning out in their droves and making an "unforgettable" Remembrance Day.

Fallen war heroes were saluted and honoured in Marlow by the largest Remembrance Day crowd in the district.

It is thought somewhere between 2,000 and 4,000 members of the public assembled to pay tribute to servicemen.

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At the sound of the Scots pipe band, the ceremony started with a parade of around 300 leaving the Royal British Legion headquarters on Station Approach at 10.20am.

Members of the RBL and ex-servicemen association, cadets of naval, armed and air forces, St John Ambulance volunteers, British and French fire brigades, scouts and girl guides marched up to the War Memorial on The Causeway where 34 wreaths were laid to remember British soldiers.

The service was conducted by the new Marlow rector, Reverend Dave Bull, who took over leading the four Church of England churches at the start of the year.

He said: "My first Remembrance Sunday in Marlow was an unforgettable day. "It felt as if the whole town stopped to gather together and honour those who died.

"I found the reading out of the names especially moving - remembering that each and every name represented both a family tragedy and also an act of supreme courage.

"It is an honour to follow a generation who gave so much."

Marlow RBL Chairman Lt Col Shaun Murphy, 62, who served nearly four decades mostly as a Royal Engineer, said: "I am glad to see the community coming out and supporting these men and women who have done so much for us to be where we are today."

Lt Col Murphy, who accumulated four medals for his time in Northern Ireland, the former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan, was particularly glad with the youth involvement over the celebrations.

Former Royal Marine C/Sgt Brian Walker, 59, of Bourne End, who served in Cyprus and the Falklands, was proud to carry the English flag and the four medals achieved by his father Edwin during the II WW.

C/Sgt Walker said: "It is just so very important for everybody in this country to come out and remember that a lot of men and women have fought and died for our present."

Veteran of the Royal Artillery gunner Brian Kispee, 80, of Marlow, who was based in Hong Kong during the II WW, said: "I am here but left many other gunners and soldier who never came back, but today they do as we gather in their names."

Marlow Mayor Jocelyn Towns said: "The service was moving, seamless and well received by the people of Marlow."

An grand march took place along Station Approach to the War Memorial for the Remembrance ceremony, then down the High Street and back to the RBL headquarters.

Scouts of Marlow Bridge Nick Collingwood and Bailey Hunt took part on the parade and left feeling honoured.

Bailey said: "It made me feel part of the country."

The crowd was estimated by police at 2,000 whilst Marlow Town Council counted 4,000.