Remembrance Sunday: Veterans mark the day as services take place across the country

The Queen led proceedings at the Cenotaph as 10,000 armed forces veterans and civilians gathered in Whitehall

Whitehall’s Cenotaph was at the centre of Britain's commemorations today as services were held around the country to mark Remembrance Day.

The nation observed a two minute silence at 11am - the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, to pay tribute to those who have died in conflicts since the First World War.

The Queen led proceedings as over 10,000 armed forces veterans and civilians gathered in Whitehall.

The beginning and end of the silence was marked with the firing of a round by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, using a 13-pounder First World War gun.

An event was held at Cardiff's Welsh National War Memorial, whilst in Scotland, First Minister Alex Salmond and Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael attended a service at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.

David Cameron and other party leaders joined former prime ministers Sir John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph.

Representatives of a Second World War unit knows as “Churchill's Secret Army” were also present for the first time.

Marking the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, the largest contingent marching past the Cenotaph was representatives of the British Korea Veterans Association. 100,000 British servicemen were engaged in the war in which more than 1,000 were killed.

Writing from Afghanistan in the Sun on Sunday, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said today marks a “sombre and poignant” moment for the 12 year long military operations in the country, where 446 British troops have died.

“This year’s Remembrance Day Service in Camp Bastion will be the last large-scale act of remembrance in Helmand as we bring more and more of our troops home before the completion of combat operations at the end of next year,” he said.

“The sacrifices of our troops have not been in vain. Afghanistan, although not perfect, is on course, with security firmly in the hands of the Afghans themselves.”

As well as the Defence Secretary, a service in Camp Bastion was also attended by Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.