Armistice Day Service of Remembrance

We will mark Armistice Day with our annual Service of Remembrance, honouring those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars and in more recent conflicts.

The service will take place at 10:50am on Tuesday 11 November 2025, at the Memorial Area at County Hall, Dorchester.

Led by Revd John Yarrien, the service will begin with an introduction from Cllr Stella Jones MBE, Chair of Dorset Council, followed by the Act of Remembrance.

The Durnovaria Silver Band will accompany the ceremony, and the names of County Council staff who died in active service will be read aloud. HM Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset, Mr Michael Dooley LVO, will then deliver the Exhortation, followed by the Last Post, a two-minute silence, and Reveille. The Kohima Plea will be read by Captain Nirmal Rai, representing the Brigade of Gurkhas.

A performance by St Osmund’s School Choir will follow, and wreaths will be laid in tribute.

The service will be streamed live on Dorset Council’s Facebook page and residents are warmly invited to join either online or in person to pay their respects.

Cllr Stella Jones MBE, Chair of Dorset Council, said:

“We will honour the memory of the fallen and the courage of our veterans. Dorset remembers, with deepest gratitude, the bravery and sacrifice of so many. Today, we reflect on lives lost in military service, in acts of terrorism, and in defence of our freedoms. We honour all who have stood to protect our way of life.

We hope residents will join the service, whether in person or via the livestream, and we encourage everyone to observe the two-minute silence at 11am.”