ST ALBANS residents have been invited to attend a Remembrance Day parade and service in memory of all the men and women who have given their lives defending the country, and our freedom.

The Mayor of St Albans Councillor Eileen Harris said: “I hope as many of you as possible will join me at the service in St Peter’s Street on Sunday, November 11.

“We all owe a debt of gratitude to those who have given their lives for this country.”

The parade will start outside Marks & Spencer in St Peter’s Street from 10.40am. The procession will make its way to the war memorial near St Peter’s church, where the service will start at 10.50am.

The Mayor and the city’s macebearer will be accompanied by honorary aldermen and councillors from county, district, town and parish councils.

The parade will also include representatives from the Air, Sea and Army Cadets, Guiding and Scout movements and other uniformed services.

Reverend Anne Hollinghurst, vicar of St Peter’s and the Mayor’s chaplain, will conduct the Remembrance service which will last about 30 minutes.

The Last Post will sound and the standards dipped at 11.00am.

A member of the St Albans Burma Star Association will speak the Kohima Epitaph. Reveille will be sounded and the standards raised. After the National Anthem, the Mayor, aldermen and councillors will lead the procession to a saluting position on St Peter’s Street.

Deputy Mayor Cllr Julie Bell will attend the Harpenden Remembrance Day service on Sunday for the planting of small crosses.

The service will be held at the Memorial Cross, Church Green, starting at 10.50am.

Harpenden Town Mayor Cllr Nicola Linacre, honorary townsmen, previous town mayors, honorary aldermen, holders of the Award of Merit, and councillors are invited to assemble at 10.30am.

The assembly point is the Royal British Legion headquarters in Leyton Road, with the procession to make its way to the service at the Memorial Cross.

Local parishes are also holding services including:

n In Wheathampstead a parade starts at 10.45am on November 11 from the junction of Church Street/Bury Green and continues to the High Street where a short outdoor service will take place at about 10.50am until just after 11am, followed by a service in St Helen’s Church.

n In Redbourn a service will take place at the War Memorial, Redbourn Common. Residents will assemble at the library in Lamb Lane at 10.25am to march off at 10.30am via the High Street and Fish Street, to arrive at the War Memorial at 10.45am.

n The public can gather at the War Memorial in London Colney’s High Street from 10.30am. Local groups will be marching from the community centre to the Memorial at 10.50am.

For more information on other services throughout the district, please visit parish websites.