Armed Forces veterans were united for Remembrance Day today for an invite-only service as Northampton and the country fell silent at 11am to remember the fallen.
The Armistice Day service at All Saints Chuch was led by rector Oliver Coss, with the Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire in attendance alongside the High Sheriff of Northamptonshire, and former Royal Marines and Army veterans who laid wreaths for their late comrades.
Ivor Richards, a former radio signaller in the British Army's Royal Corps regiment, was one of the veterans in attendance.
Although Armistice Day marks the agreement which ended the First World War in 1919, the day, for some, is to also remember those closer to home who have lost their lives since then while fighting for their country.
This year, it was important for Ivor and his friends to be together to remember - while safely social distancing - as ceremonies around the county go virtual.
Today, Ivor was remembering a close friend who he served with in Germany.
On the evening of June 15, 1988, his friend was killed by the IRA on tour in Ireland when a van bomb exploded at the Lisburn fun run, killing six British soldiers.
The soldiers were getting into an unmarked van and had just finished competing in the charity half marathon alongside 250 other soldiers and civilians when the bomb exploded.
Ivor added: "I remember him every year and I go to his graveside on the day of the bombing.
"I say 'hello' and I give him a bottle of beer, it's so he can have a drink at the final RV.
"I'm one of thousands of service men who did not see conflict but we still took the Queens shilling and we were ready for duty and willing to do our part if anything happened."
Ivor spent most of his time serving in the Army in Germany before being posted onto Turkey, Italy and Norway.
Now his daughter, Daisy, 20, is following in his military footseps as the Royal Marines and Royal Anglican standard bearer for Northampton.
"The reason she does it is because she likes to hear all the old stories from us old men and she feels it's an honour for people her age who don't know what remembrance is about."
