MONDAY marked Armistice Day when at 11am, on November 11, 1918, an agreement to end the fighting of the First World War as a prelude to peace negotiations began.

The two-minute silence is a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those who have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life

Hundreds of people turned out to a Remembrance Sunday parade at the Town Hall and service at the Cenotaph.

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The veterans who attended were unanimous in one message that they wanted to get out to future generations.

Ken Cannan 67, served with the first battalion of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment (Image: Newsquest) Ken Cannan, 76, joined the army when he was 20 and served from 1977 to 2000 with the First Battalion of the King's Own Royal border regiment, which has now disbanded and is the Duke of Lancaster's regiment.

He said: "I think it's important we remember the people we served with that have passed, either in battle or through illness.

"And most importantly, for those that died in the First and Second World War who got us where were are today because without them where would be.

"We wouldn't be where we are without those brave lads and lasses.

"It's also the women beading the fields, toiling the land while the lads were at war or on the beaches.

"It's really important for people to understand that it's not easy to go on to a battlefield with bullets and bombs going off and still keep coherent and be able to do your job.

"The young children of today have got to try and find a way of carrying this on because as we get older and pass on they need to carry this through.

"And the way that the army has been reduced now, there's less and less going to be available to carry the tradition on.

Patrick, 76, served in the British Army for 26 years (Image: Newsquest) Patrick, 76, who is from Barrow served 26 years with the British Army, added: "The parade went quite well, but it would be good if there were more young ones as they may not see us in a couple of years.

"This is one of the reasons why I think they should put another statue up in this town to the armed forces."

11-year-old Sea Cadet James from Barrow (Image: Newsquest)Many parents took their children up to the cenotaph with many seen admiring the beautiful poppy wreaths left.

The procession saw many glimpses of the future of the UK Armed Forces such as 11-year-old James Higginson from Barrow.

Now a young sea cadet, James said: "I wanted to join because I love the armed forces and I wanted to get involved," he said.

"Nearly all of my family have been part of the navy so I wanted to join to keep that going - overall though, I just really wanted to join."

James has a long line of relatives in the armed forces including grandads, great-grandads, uncles and cousins.