KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica paid homage to the fallen servicemen and servicewomen of World War I and World War II during the Remembrance Day Parade held on Monday at National Heroes Park in Kingston.

Some 4,000 to 5,000 Jamaicans were involved in the world wars, a number of whom served in the Royal Air Force, while others joined the ground forces of the British Army and the Canadian Armed Forces.

The annual ceremony featured a parade by uniformed groups and laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph, honouring those who gave their service and, ultimately, their lives in the two great wars.

Custos Rotulorum for St Andrew, Ian Forbes, representing Governor-General, Sir Patrick Allen, led the wreath laying ceremony. He also conducted an inspection of ex-service members and contingent of the Jamaica Legion and the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) Jamaica 580 Branch.

Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, representing Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, pays tribute to service members who lost their lives in the two great wars, during Monday’s (November 11) Remembrance Day Parade at National Heroes Park in Kingston.

Custos Rotulorum for St. Andrew, Hon. Ian Forbes, representing Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, lays a wreath at the Cenotaph honouring those who gave their lives in the two great wars. The occasion was the annual Remembrance Day Parade on Monday (November 11) at National Heroes Park in Kingston. Adrian Walker Photos

Custos Rotulorum for St. Andrew, Hon. Ian Forbes, representing Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, greets ex-service members and a contingent of the Jamaica Legion and Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) Jamaica 580 Branch, during the annual Remembrance Day Parade on Monday (November 11). The event was held at National Heroes Park in Kington. The annual observance honours the sacrifice of those, who lost their lives in World Wars I and II.

Custos Rotulorum for St. Andrew, Hon. Ian Forbes, representing Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, greets ex-service members and a contingent of the Jamaica Legion and Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) Jamaica 580 Branch, during the annual Remembrance Day Parade on Monday (November 11). The event was held at National Heroes Park in Kington. The annual observance honours the sacrifice of those, who lost their lives in World Wars I and II.

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Floral tributes were laid on behalf of Prime Minister Andrew Holness, by State Minister for National Security, Juliet Cuthbert Flynn; and on behalf of Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, by Opposition Spokesperson for Culture and the Creative Industries, Dr Deborah Hickling Gordon.

Chief of Defence Staff, Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Vice Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman; Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Richard Stewart; Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Andrew Swaby; and Justice Lorna Shelly Williams, representing Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, also paid their respects.

Floral tributes were also laid by members of the diplomatic community in Jamaica. They included High Commissioners of the United Kingdom, and Trinidad and Tobago; the Chargé d’Affaires of the Canadian, and United States Embassies; and Ambassadors of the Kingdom of Belgium, Mexico, and the Argentine Republic,

First observed to commemorate the end of World War I, the significance of Remembrance Day has since been extended to honour the bravery and sacrifice of all fallen service members.

– JIS