Nation remembers its dead

Thousands of people across Shropshire paused to remember the heroes of the country during a two-minute silence today, exactly 90 years after the First World War ended.

Workers, shoppers and schoolchildren were among those who stopped at 11am to commemorate Armistice Day.

See our Remembrance Sunday photo gallery here
Watch our Remembrance Sunday report here

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Former Telford resident Harry Patch, 110, joined 112-year-old Henry Allingham, and Bill Stone, 108, to lead the nation as it remembered the sacrifices made by the 1914-1918 generation. 

The three last surviving British WWI soldiers laid wreaths at the Cenotaph in London.

They later attended a reception with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Dennis Goodwin, chairman of the World War One Veterans’ Association, said: “It is most significant that they represent each armed service – the odds on that are tremendous.” 

However, one Telford firm sparked anger among employees by insisting some of them would have to use up part of their official break if they wanted to observe today’s two minutes’ silence.

Bosses at mobile phone suppliers Geko Direct told a group of about 35 workers that they would have to reschedule their break so it coincided with the 11am silence if they wanted to join in the nationwide act of remembrance.

The company said if all 165 staff at its base in Queensway had observed the silence at the same time then it would have taken a long time to power up its automatic dialling service again and subsequent calls would have been delayed.

Some workers, however, claimed they should all have been free to take part without having to ensure it was during their break.