Two minute Armistice Day silence brings Bluewater to a standstill

Chresti Dack, 84, pays her respects.

By Tim MacFarlan, Bexley and north Kent reporter
 

BLUEWATER was brought to a standstill as hundreds of shoppers observed a two minutes silence for Armistice Day today. 

Just before 11am on Monday The Last Post rang out from the bugle of former paratrooper Bob Cole and Dartford MP Gareth Johnson read from Robert Laurence Binyon’s famous poem For The Fallen. 

Left to right: Fusilier Baggett, Alan Nimmo, Elliot Tapping, MP Gareth Johnson and Paul Jacobs.

A crowd of around 500 shoppers gathered to watch as the standard of the Greenhithe and Swanscombe branch of the Royal British Legion was lowered by bearer Elliot Tapping. 

Standard bearer Elliot Tapping.

At 11am onlookers bowed their heads to honour British soldiers killed in war on the 95th anniversary of the end of the First World War which began 100 years ago next year. 

Remembering the fallen

                                            

Greenhithe and Swanscombe RBL committee member Graham Mentor-Morris said: "It all went incredibly well indeed. 

"The constant throb of Bluewater just suddenly stopped and it was quite strange. The vast majority of shoppers were very supportive. 

Bob Cole plays the last post.

"Having a live bugle call made all the difference." 

The poppy appeal at Bluewater has raised around £10,000 for the RBL.