REMEMBRANCE Service: Villagers from Ellisfield, Farleigh Wallop, Dummer and Cliddesden met in the historic church of All Saints, Dummer, to remember and honour those who had given their lives for their country.

Once again, the familiar words "They grow not old as we that are left grow old" were heard, along with a bugler sounding the Last Post followed, after the silence, by Reveille, the hymns, the tears, and the names of those from our four villages who died during war were read out.

Some of those names, such as Taplin and Frankham, are still well-known in our villages today.

For the second year running there was a particular poignancy, with so many families having relatives in the forces, including serving in Iraq with the Black Watch.

And for the second year that our troops have been deployed in Iraq, it made a real difference to our Remembrance Day service that it was led by the Rev Clive Parnell-Hopkinson, who served in the RAF during the first Gulf War and knows the reality of conflict.

This year the service started later and the silence was observed outdoors in beautiful sunshine.

Members of the Dummer branch of the Royal British Legion paraded, as usual, and, for the fourth year, bugler Shaun Agnew, from Farnham, sounded the Last Post and Reveille.

We are fortunate that Shaun is able to continue this tradition, initiated many years ago by Tony Pielow.

Afterwards, everyone at the service was invited to Dummer House for coffee.