Final rehearsals take place for Remembrance parade

A military rehearsal has taken place ahead of the National Service of Remembrance.

The training at HMS Excellent, the naval base on Whale Island in Portsmouth, was in preparation for the event on Sunday at the Cenotaph in London.

It will feature about 800 members of the Armed Forces, including personnel from the Navy, Royal Marines, musicians from the Royal Marines Band Service, and with about 10,000 veterans and the Royal Family in attendance.

Chief Petty Officer Tara Evans said the rehearsals went "really, really well - it's been a breeze".

Members of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service and Royal Fleet Auxiliary will also be taking part in the Remembrance Sunday event at Whitehall.

It will commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women since World War One.

CPO Evans, Royal Navy State Ceremonial Training Chief Instructor, said: "We've had a really strong bunch this year who are fighting to be able to stand on that Cenotaph."

Lieutenant Commander Anna Sanocki said it was "exciting" and "slightly daunting" to be involved.

"Now I'm just looking forward to the weekend and actually getting onto the parade ground," she said.

Petty Officer Naval Nurse Stuart Mills said: "It's a massive privilege and honour and you want to do your utmost to represent your service and colleagues, and also to remember those who have come before us."

Sgt Ben Webster said: "Unfortunately I've known several people who gave everything they could for the country.

"So they're mainly the people I'll be remembering, but obviously everyone from past conflicts going back over 100 years."

On Monday those taking part paid a visit to the Standing with Giants installation at nearby Fort Nelson, which is dedicated to British servicemen who died on D-Day.

Rehearsals on Tuesday also saw sailors and marines making a collage of photographs of family members who served in the military to further inspire them.

Able Seaman Jordan Reynolds, who added pictures of his father to the boards, said: "He's my hero. If I'm doing it, I'm doing it for him, but also everyone else.

"It's a big responsibility and sometimes it can be forgotten in training, but when you get to a moment like this you feel the weight.

"Just like every other family that's on this board, everyone came with their own story and we've been telling each other about it throughout this training exercise before going to London."

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