VETERANS, military personnel and dignitaries will salute the fallen at this year’s Remembrance Day services across south Essex.

Services and events have been organised for Southend, Basildon and Benfleet, Leigh and Shoebury.

In Southend, a parade will assemble at Prittlewell Square, off Clifftown Parade, at about 10am on Sunday, November 9.

The group will march to the Cenotaph, in Clifftown Parade, arriving at 10.55am for a short ceremony and two minutes’ silence at 11am, where people can pay their respects to the fallen from the two world wars.

Southend’s mayor, Chris Walker, said: “This hugely important event is our chance to honour and pay tribute to all those brave men and women who gave their lives in the world wars and other conflicts since.

“We must join together to remember them and publicly show our gratitude to every one of them for making the supreme sacrifice in the service of others.

“We hope as many people as possible will join us for the commemoration ceremony, so we can collectively salute the heroism of those who gave everything.

“It is especially significant this year as we commemorate the centenary of the start of the Great War.”

After the silence, various notable names in the borough will lay wreathes, while the Rev Canon Stephen Burdett will lead prayers.

The parade will form up and the mayoral party will proceed to the dais between the Cenotaph and Prittlewell Square, to take the salute and march-past.

The hymns and other musical contributions to the event will be played by Southend Citadel Band of the Salvation Army, the 1312 Southend Air Training Corps Band and piper Bob Dobney.

A number of roads in central Southend will be closed between 9.45am to 12.30pm for the parade.

They are Westcliff Parade, eastwards from its junction with Trinity Avenue and Wilson Road, Clifftown Parade, Clifton Terrace, Prittlewell Square, and Devereux Road.

Other parades will be taking place on the day in Leigh and Shoebury, carried out by their Royal British Legion branches.

Benfleet will also hold a march and service at the war memorial from 10.30am on the same day.

Further details, and those for Basildon, have yet to be released.