THE annual Chadwell St Mary branch of the Royal British Legion held its annual service of remembrance in orsett this morning (7 November).

The event is the usual Thurrock precursor to a weekend of Remembrance and will be followed tomorrow by services across the borough.

This afternoon the Last Post will be played and a wreath laid at Tilbury FC's Chadfields ground ahead of the Dockers' match with Thames neighbours Concord Rangers.

Today's service at Orsett was managed by Simon Wootton, who was awarded a British Empire Medal in this year's King's Birthday Honours List for his years of public service, with prayers from Orsett's new parish priest-to-be Rev Michelle Marshall.

Also in attendance was Lord-Lieutenant of Essex Jennifer Tolhurst, who laid a wreath and also gave a bible reading, quoting from John Chapter 15 which includes the line 'Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends'. The BL exhortation was read by local councillor Steve Taylor, who also laid his own wreath - and that of deputy mayor Cllr James Pontz who was expected to represent the mayor and the other Orsett councillor Bill Cook who was otherwise engaged with a Citizenship Service at the Town Hall, but he did not turn up.

100-year-old Reg Goldsmith, who served in the Second World War, read the Kohima Epitaph.

Representatives of other service organisations, young members of local Sea Cadets, Royal Marines and ATC groups and former local MP Stephen Metcalfe all laid tributes - as did former councillors Barry Johnson and David Day and local residents.

The Last post and Reveille were played by Dave Honeywell, musical director of Grays Town band, who provided the music.

Download our Nub News App!

- It’s FREE and available now
- Breaking news notifications
- Your Town in Your Pocket

The service at Orsett is traditionally held on a Saturday so residents and voluteers who support it, can attend larger civic services on Remembrance Sunday.