As Remembrance Sunday approaches, the Island will come together to remember the sacrifices made by those who have served in the armed forces.
The nation will fall silent for two minutes at 11am on Saturday 11 November (Remembrance Day) and again on Sunday 12 November (Remembrance Sunday) with wreaths and poppies laid at war memorials across the Island.
The commemorations will conclude with a National Service of Remembrance at the Royal Chapel in St John’s at 3pm on Sunday, attended by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor Lieutenant General Sir John Lorimer and his wife Lady Lorimer.
Veterans and representatives of the armed forces will attend the service, along with the Chief Minister, Speaker of the House of Keys, Members of Tynwald, and representatives from the judiciary, local authorities, the clergy, uniformed organisations, and other civic bodies.
The Estonian Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Viljar Lubi, and the crew of Royal Navy’s submarine HMS Vigilant will also be in attendance.
After the service, at approximately 4pm, the congregation will make its way outside to the National War Memorial where His Excellency will lay the first wreath, followed by the Chief Minister and representatives from other organisations.
The public are encouraged to gather at the National War Memorial in St John’s at 4pm for a two minute silence and the laying of the wreaths. Anyone wishing to attend the church service is asked to be seated no later than 2:45pm with places available on a first come, first served basis.
The Island is also being represented at national remembrance events in the UK.
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, invited representatives from the Crown dependencies to join other guests at the opening of the Constituency Garden of Remembrance at the Palace of Westminster in London. Hon Julie Edge MHK represented the Isle of Man at the ceremony on Monday, placing a remembrance cross in New Palace Yard.
By the weekend, the garden will contain more than 700 tributes, with one for each UK parliamentary constituency, Commonwealth country, British Overseas Territory and Crown Dependency.
On Sunday, the President of Tynwald, The Hon Laurence Skelly MLC, will represent the Island at the Service of Remembrance in London, laying a wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall in the presence of His Majesty The King.
