Remembrance Day 2023: The events in and around Southampton

Members of the military and veterans will parade through the streets for Armistice Day (Saturday November 11) and Remembrance Sunday (November 12). 

Services will be taking place across the county with residents, members of the armed forces and politicians all wearing poppies 105 years on from the end of World War One.

Below is a round-up of the events in Southampton, Eastleigh and Fareham.

Southampton

The Remembrance Sunday service will take place between 10.30am and midday. The service will start in Watts Park at 10.55am.

It will be preceded by a military and veterans parade from Guildhall Square to the Cenotaph and the Lord Mayor's Civic Procession.

Volunteers from the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will be at the gazebo in the park with traditional and silk poppies, wooden crosses and lapel pins.

From here, you can also pick up a copy of the Order of Service.

There will be a pre-organised wreath-laying session within the service for invited representatives only.

This will be followed by a brief section for public wreaths which is restricted to a maximum of two people laying a wreath.

Alternatively, attendees can lay a wreath on the Cenotaph after the service.

Remembrance Day in Southampton (Image: Newsquest)

Road closures will be in place between 7am and 2pm on Sunday along the entire length of West Marlands Road and Gibbs Road. 

There will also be closures on Commercial Road from the junction at Havelock Road to Above Bar Street and Above Bar Street from the junction at New Road / Civic Centre Road to the junction at Brunswick Place.

The bus stops on Above Bar Street near the Cenotaph and on Commercial Road near the library and the Art Gallery will not be in use between 7am and 2pm. 

Eastleigh

Services will be taking place throughout the borough on Sunday.

Mayor of Eastleigh Cllr Nick Couldrey will attend the morning service at the War Memorial at Leigh Road Recreation Ground.

The mayor will also be attending the service at the Military Cemetery at Royal Victoria Country Park at 3pm.

Past mayor Adam Manning will attend the morning service at St Edwards Church, Netley Abbey.

A two-minute silence will also take place at 11am on Saturday at an open ceremony hosted by the mayor at the War Memorial in Leigh Road Recreation Ground.

Eastleigh's bandstand covered in poppies for Remembrance Day. (Image: Eastleigh Borough Council)

The following road closures will be in place across the borough this weekend: 

• Botley: High Street, from its junction with Mortimers Road to its junction with Winchester Street between 10:45am and 11.15am.
• Eastleigh: Market Street, Wells Place, High Street and Leigh Road will be closed for the parade between 10.00am and 11.45am. These will be lifted after the parade has passed.
• Fair Oak and Horton Heath: Fair Oak Road between its junctions with Botley Road and Summerlands Road; and the B3354 Botley Road from the traffic lights at Stubbington Way to Tesco Express between 10.30am and 12noon. The closures will be lifted as the parade passes.
• Hedge End: St Johns Road, between its junctions with Bursledon Road and Alexandra Road.
• Netley Abbey: Victoria Road from the entrance of Royal Victoria Country Park to the junction with Grange Road. Grange Road from its junction with Victoria Road to the entrance of the church from 10 am to 10.45am.
• West End: High Street, West End from its junction with Lower New Road and Upper New Road to its junction with Moorgreen Road; West End Road from High Street to New Road; and St James Road from High Street to Woodlea Gardens from 10.30am to 11.30am.

Three other services are taking place without road closures at St Boniface Church, Chandler's Ford; North Stoneham War Shrine, Eastleigh; and the Military Cemetery at Royal Victoria Country Park at 3pm.

Fareham

Fareham’s Remembrance Day Parade and Service will take place on Sunday.

The Forever Remembered ceremony will start at 9.45am at the War Memorial, Holy Trinity Church, where the names of those from the Fareham area who have died as serving members in British Armed Forces conflicts will be read out.

At 10.38am, the parade will set off from the Duke of Connaught’s Own Club in Western Road.

It will continue along Kings Road and on to West Street, arriving at the War Memorial for a two-minute silence at 11am.

The Ceremony of Laying Wreaths and a special service at Holy Trinity Church will follow.

The following roads will be closed to all traffic including bikes from 9.45am to 12pm on Sunday:

• Queens Road - Whole length
• Hartlands Road - Whole length (except for buses and taxis)
• Western Road - Whole length
• Kings Road - Whole length
• West Street - From the junction with Hartlands Road to the roundabout at Fareham Station