REMEMBRANCE was different in Crediton on Sunday, November 8, with no big gathering at the Town and Hamlets War Memorial, no procession and no music.

There were just a few people at 11am and a trickle of wreath layers through the morning.

Prior to the two minutes’ silence, the town Mayor, Cllr Frank Letch chairman of Crediton Town Council, asked people to keep their distance because this was not the usual public event.

Certainly the few on both sides of Union Road stayed in their little groups, keeping well spaced apart, some wearing face masks.

During the silence, the small clusters of people stood with heads bowed, when the drone of the traffic stopped altogether a few times, the silence made it all more poignant.

Rachel Avery, Town Clerk, added that the town council had been proud and humbled to be able to facilitate this Remembrance Sunday event at the Town and Crediton Hamlets War Memorial.

Rachel and her staff had drawn up a schedule of wreath laying every 10 minutes through the morning.

The first wreath was laid on behalf of Crediton Town Council by Mrs Natalia Letch, Mayoress.

This was followed by the wreath for Crediton Hamlets laid by Cllr George Mortimer, Hamlets’ chairman. With him was his daughter Anna who laid a wreath for St Luke’s Church, Posbury.

Next came Cllr John Downes, one of the four district councillors for Crediton, representing Mid Devon District Council.

Altogether 16 “official” wreaths were laid with a few more laid by individuals during the day with very personal memories. Not as many wreaths as usual.

Probably the most moving that morning was when Deacon Lester Yeo laid the wreath for Crediton Roman Catholic Church of St Boniface, saying prayers for peace of the world and for the war dead.

The town council warmly thanked the town and its groups/organisations for being so supportive with its different event this year.