HUNDREDS of people  gathered on Remembrance Sunday to honour  those who died while  serving their country.

Young and old paid   their respects at two city  ceremonies  to those  killed in battles from the  First World War to the  conflict in Afghanistan.

 The Lord Mayor John  Winterbottom; officers  from The Rifles;  243 Field  Hospital Exeter Sea  Cadets; firefighters; Royal Marines; university  representatives and police officers attended the  city council’s service at  the war memorial in  Northernhay Gardens before parading through  the city to a reception at  the Guildhall  preceded  by a Salvation Army  band.

A representative from  the Far East Veterans Association read the Kohima epitaph and a bugler  played Reveille and Last  Post from top of Exeter  Castle while people laid  poppies and wreaths on  the memorial.

Servicemen and politicians attended Devon  County Council’s service  at the Devon war memorial and  a service at Exeter Cathedral.

Jumper Collings,  chairman of the Exeter  branch of the Royal  Marines Association,   served as a Royal Marine  for 23 years between 1967  and 1987.

 The 62-year-old, from  St Thomas, Exeter,  worked as a weapons instructor and during his  service was posted to  Northern Ireland, the  Middle East and Borneo.

He said: “It is always  important to remember  those who fell in battle.  The peace and freedom  we enjoy in this country  today is down to what  others have done before.

“We must also remember those who are now  serving in Afghanistan.”

Jason Priddle, of  King’s Heath, Exeter, has  been in the navy for the  last four years, working  as a marine engineer.  During this time he has  been posted to Sierra  Leone.

The 31-year-old looks  forward to Remembrance  Sunday as a time to catch  up with other servicemen. He said: “People  make an effort to come to  the city from far and wide  to honour the fallen, so it  is nice time to get together with them.  Remembrance Day is relevant to  everyone now with so  many men serving in the  Middle East. It is vital we  show our support.”

Ben Chadwick, 88, was  a Royal Marine in the  Second World War. He  was posted to Egypt, Malta, Italy and Australia.

 He said: “I wear my  medals proudly today  and think about those we  lost — gone but never forgotten.”

Keith Worley, 64, from  Heavitree, served in the  army infantry for six  years  from 1964 to 1970.  During this time was  posted to Northern Ireland and South America.  He said: “Every Remembrance Sunday I try to  think back to the time I  spent in the army and  about those friends I lost  in action.

 “I enjoyed being in the  forces immensely, we got  to visit some amazing  places and there was a  real camaraderie.”

Yvonne Sercome, 62,  from Exeter, attended the  ceremony to show her  support.

 She said: “I had a lot of  family who served in the  forces. My husband was  in the Royal Navy, along  with my father and  grandfather who was in  the Royal Marines.

 “Supporting the serviceman is very relevant  at the moment, with so  many of our boys serving  in Afghanistan.”

Dan Rudge, 17, of Exeter, has been in the army  for 14 weeks. He said: “We  must never forget those  who gave their lives in  combat. I felt proud to  come here to day and  show my respect, like everybody else should.

“I was pleased to so  many people on the  Cathedral Green today  but there could have been  more.”

A number of other services were held around  the county including in  Exmouth; Tiverton; Sidmouth; Crediton; and at  the Royal Marine training centre at Lympstone.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that two  British servicemen were  killed in Afganistan yesterday, becoming the  200th and 201st soldiers to  be killed in action since  the operation began in  2001.

The total death toll for  UK troops is 232. One was  from the 2nd Battalion,  The Rifles, serving with  the 4th Battalion, The Rifles, and he died following  a blast near Sangin  in  central Helmand  Province. The second soldier also served with the  4th Battalion and was  killed in central Helmand. Their families  have been informed.