The final ceramic poppy has been planted at the Tower of London this morning, as the nation paid tribute to the millions of British servicemen who have died in conflict since the start of the First World War.
The 888,246th poppy - representing the life of the 888,246th soldier who died in conflict - was planted by 13-year-old cadet Harry Hayes to mark the completion of Blood-Swept Lands And Seas of Red, the poignant memorial which has filled the Tower's moat and attracted some four million visitors to the Tower of London.
This morning, thousands flocked to the Tower to pay their respects to the nation's war dead. And, by the time the bugler sounded the Last Post just before 11am, thousands more had gathered to take part in the two-minute silence.
Copy link to paste in your message
+18
13-year-old cadet Harry Hayes planted the final ceramic poppy at the Tower of London this morning to mark Armistice Day
Copy link to paste in your message
+18
Copy link to paste in your message
+18
The teenager, from the Reading Blue Coat School Combined Cadet Force, gave his salute (left) before planting the poppy (right)
Copy link to paste in your message
+18
Harry collected the poppy from artist Paul Cummins before walking to the area where the last flower would be planted
Copy link to paste in your message
+18
All 888,246 poppies have now been planted in the moat at the Tower of London, heralding the completion of the poignant memorial
Copy link to paste in your message
+18
All 888,246 poppies have now been planted in the moat at the Tower of London, heralding the completion of the poignant memorial
Copy link to paste in your message
+18
Thousands flocked to the Tower this morning to pay their respects to the nation's war dead on Armistice Day
Copy link to paste in your message
+18
A roll of honour - consisting of 200 names of those who died during the war - were read out to the crowd at the Tower of London
Copy link to paste in your message
+18
The ceremony at the Tower marked a national day of tributes for Armistice Day and included a 21-gun salute
Copy link to paste in your message
+18
Ribbons of purple sky twisted over the Tower of London this morning, as the sun rose over the 888,245 poppies which fill the moat
But their numbers were dwarfed by the masses of red ceramic poppies spilling from the historic royal palace.
Volunteers have spent months progressively installing the hand-made poppies - each representing a British and Commonwealth soldier who died during WW1 - in the dry 16-acre moat in front of the tower.
Each of the 888,245 blooms already in the Tower's moat represents a British or Colonial military death during the First World War.
Just before 11am, a 21-round minute gun was fired by the Honourable Artillery Company on the Tower of London’s wharf, before the Roll of Honour – containing 200 names of some of the fallen from the First World War – was read out by Constable of the Tower of London General the Lord Dannatt.
After the final name was read out a young army cadet, Harry, from the Reading Blue Coat School Combined Cadet Force, collected the last poppy from artist Paul Cummins and walk towards the raised grass area where he planted the final poppy.
As well as Mr Cummins, artist Tom Piper was at the installation, as well as the volunteers who helped to plant the poppies and beneficiaries from the service charities involved.
and allowing me , to have the decadent lifestyle I have grown accustomed to!:dance2:[video=youtube;Wu4oy1IRTh8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu4oy1IRTh8[/video]
