OVER the coming weekend communities across Thurrock will be hosting services of Remembrance to honour those who gave their lives for their country in conflict.

On Friday there will be two official servcies in Grays and North Stifford but many businesses will come to a brief halt at 11am to mark Armistice Day and the agreement signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, at 5.45am for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I. That took effect at eleven in the morning — the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918.

There will be a service on Saturday at Orsett, hosted by Chadwell st Mary Royal British Legion but the bulk of the borough's commemoration will follow on Sunday with parades and services across Thurrock.

The 'official' civic service will take place in Grays at the High Street war memorial but councillors and dignitaries will be present at many of the other services, which will also be supported and led by ex service organisations, particularly the Ryoal British Legion.

The list of services include:

Friday 11 November – Armistice Day

10.45am War Memorial, High Street, Grays.

10.55am Ardale War Memorial, Guardian Avenue, Stifford Green, North Stifford.

Saturday 12 November

10.45am Orsett War Memorial (opposite the Whitmore Arms).

Aveley's Memorial Garden is ready for Sunday's service.

Sunday 13 November – Remembrance Sunday

9am War Memorial, Rectory Road, Little Thurrock, Grays (Turps Corner).

9.15am War Memorial, St Michael's Church, Fobbing.

9.45am St Michael's Church, High Street, Aveley.

10am Orsett War Memorial (opposite the Whitmore Arms).

10.30am St John's Church, Victoria Avenue, Blackshots.

10.30am War Memorial, The Green, Stanford-le-Hope.

10.30am War Memorial, Civic Square, Tilbury.

10.30am Stifford Memorial Obelisk, St Mary the Virgin Church, High Road, North Stifford.

10.45am St Mary's Church, Linford Road, Chadwell St Mary.

10.45am St Nicholas Church, The Green, South Ockendon.

10.45am War Memorial, St Mary's Church, Corringham.

10.45am Bata War Memorial, East Tilbury.

10,45am War Memorial, High Street, Grays.

10.45am St Peter & St Paul Church, Orsett Road, Horndon on the Hill.

2pm St Mary-the-Virgin Church, Church Road, Bulphan.

2.45pm War Memorial, Kershaw Close, Chafford Hundred.

3pm Memorial Service, St Margaret's Church, The Green, Stanford-le-Hope.