WE will always remember them.

Across Hampshire, hundreds of people braved the wind and rain to remember the dead and honour those still fighting on the frontline today.

And the sacrifice of war could not be felt more strongly than in Warsash, where friends and family of Sapper William Blanchard gathered. Just two weeks ago, the 39-year-old bomb disposal expert was fatally shot while he tried to destroy a suspect device in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.

In a moving tribute to their step-dad, Tom and Lucy Rees-Blanchard stepped out to lay two crosses, one marked “Dad”, in the Garden of Remembrance outside Victory Hall.

They then moved with the rest of the procession to St Mary’s Church to light a candle in his honour, before rejoining the parade.

Outside the church, Adam Jollans, Scout county commissioner for Hampshire, said: “Everyone says Will was a really fantastic guy, who put himself out for other people.

Hampshire pays its respects at Remembrance Day services.

“This is a very difficult time for all those who knew him but I think the one thing they must remember is that Will died saving other people’s lives and that should be an example to us all.”

In Southampton, the two minutes silence was extended after a standard bearer collapsed on the steps of the Cenotaph.

Trevor Healey, 65, a member of the Southampton branch of the Royal British Legion, was treated by St John Ambulance staff before he was taken to a nearby ambulance by stretcher.

Worried dignitaries and representatives from the armed forces, local authorities, colleges and schools who had lined up to lay wreaths at the Watts Park memorial could only look on as Mr Healey was given first aid, before the service continued.

Hundreds of people young and old had turned out for the annual service, which was led by Rector of Southampton, Dr Julian Davies.

Last night the Royal British Legion confirmed Mr Healey was well and recovering at home.

In Romsey, helicopters flew over the hundreds who crammed into the town’s War Memorial Park.

After The Last Post had sounded and the Exhortation and Kohima Epitaph were read, the crowd stood in solemn silence for two minutes before representatives of dozens of organisations and public bodies laid wreaths at the foot of the central memorial.

In Fawley, New Forest East MP Julian Lewis was among those who attended a Remembrance Sunday service at All Saints Church.

Old soldiers mingled with small children as villagers gathered to remember the dead of both world wars and subsequent conflicts.

It followed a parade involving the Hampshire Caledonian Pipe Band, Fawley and District Branch of the Royal British Legion, and youth groups.

In Winchester, the poignant service at the cathedral was attended by senior military personnel from the Army, including commander in chief, land forces, General Sir Nick Parker, and Second World War veteran General Sir Hugh Beach.

Also in attendance were the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Dame Mary Fagan, the chairman of Hampshire County Council, Cllr Carol Leversha, Winchester MP Steve Brine and the mayor and councillors of Winchester City Council.

Gen Beach gave a moving sermon lamenting the cost of war and expressing hope war on such a scale would never happen again.