Oxford set to mark Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day

Remembrance Sunday 

The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Mike Rowley, in partnership with the Oxford City branch of the Royal British Legion, is set to host a Remembrance Sunday service at the War Memorial in St Giles’ on Sunday 10 November 2024. The Lord Mayor will be joined by military units, uniformed organisations, community groups, civic dignitaries, residents and visitors from across the county to mark Remembrance Sunday. 

Remembrance Sunday takes place on the second Sunday in November and honours those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to secure and protect our freedom. Military units, organisations and community groups will gather for 10am at the junction of Beaumont Street and St Giles’. They will then march up St Giles’ from 10.30am. 

The service will start at 10.45am, with a two minute silence at 11am.

Comment

"Every year Oxford observes Remembrance Sunday to commemorate those who have lost their lives in war and conflict. In this 80th anniversary year of D-Day, we think of the sacrifices that were made to free Europe from the most murderous of tyrannies, honour all who defend us today, and recommit ourselves to the pursuit of peace here and throughout the world." 

The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Mike Rowley 

The order of service is: 

• Welcome: Councillor Mike Rowley, Lord Mayor of Oxford, and The Revd Anthony Buckley, City Rector 
• Hymn: Abide With Me 
• Act of Penitence: The Revd Anthony Buckley, City Rector 
• Messages of Remembrance from Oxford’s faith leaders 
• The Flowers of the Forest: a lament by Scott Weston 
• Exhortation and Kohima: To be read by veteran Jose Rodriguez of the Royal Green Jackets and Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet Corporal Emma Trowbridge 
• The Last Post, the Great Silence and the Reveille: Phil King, Bugle Major of the Quirinus Band & Bugle Corps 2011 e.V. 
• Hymn: O God Our Help In Ages Past 
• Act of Commitment: The Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire Marjorie Glasgow BEM 
• The Lord Is My Shepherd 
• Intercessions: Read by Olivia Holder 
• A pause for unity lead by The Revd Anthony Buckley, City Rector 
• The Lord’s Prayer: The Revd Anthony Buckley, City Rector 
• The Blessing: Given by the Bishop of Oxford, The Rt. Rev'd Dr Steven Croft 
• The National Anthem 

Representatives from Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, Help for Heroes, and Oxford’s twin cities will be present. If members of the public require British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation, the interpreter will be located on the junction of St Giles and Woodstock Road to the west of the dais. 

Members of the public are welcome to put tributes on the monument before the service. 

Armistice Day 

There will be a service marking Armistice Day on Monday 11 November, starting at 10.55am, on the landing area at the top of the stairs in Oxford Town Hall. The service will be led by the Lord Mayor and all are welcome to attend. There will be a two-minute silence at 11am. 

Wreath laying at Leiden Square, Westgate 

A wreath laying ceremony by the Oxford-Leiden twin city link group will take place in Leiden Square, Westgate Oxford, on Saturday 9 November. The Lord Mayor of Oxford will be in attendance. The Oxford-Leiden link was Oxford’s first twin link and was established immediately after the Second World War in 1946. 

Flying the flag 

The Royal British Legion flag will be flown above Oxford Town Hall in the run up to Remembrance Sunday from Monday 4 November to 10 November, when the flag will be changed over to the Union Jack on Sunday 10 November until after King Charles III birthday on 14 November.

Road closures and parking suspension

Road closures and parking suspension will be in place from 12.01am to 2pm on Sunday 10 November 2024 as follows: 

• St Giles' will be closed. Parking will be suspended during the Remembrance Sunday event 
• The pavement on Banbury Road, opposite the war memorial, will be closed. Members of the public are advised to follow pedestrian diversions or use Woodstock Road 
• Banbury Road from its junction with Parks Road to its junction with St Giles'
• Beaumont Street from its junction with St John Street to its junction with St Giles' 
• Keble Road 
• Junction from Keble Road to Blackhall Road 
• Magdalen Street East and West