BRADFORD has remembered its fallen heroes 100 years on from the end of the First World War.

In a fitting rain shower, as all the tears shed on this poignant centenary and the many days before it were recalled, the community came together to mark Remembrance Day.

The Last Post echoed around an eerily quiet city centre and then the two-minutes' silence was impeccably kept as hundreds of people gathered around Bradford's war memorial.

The ceremony was replicated at dozens of locations across the Bradford district and beyond as the people of today paid tribute to those who laid down their lives, not only in the Great War of 1914-1918 but in all the conflicts that the people of Britain and the Commonwealth countries have fought in since.

A parade of armed forces personnel, cadets and veterans was led from City Park to the Cenotaph by the City of Bradford Brass Band.

After an introduction by the Dean of Bradford, the Very Reverend Jerry Lepine, the act of remembrance was read by Barry Eccles, chairman of the Bradford Central branch of the Royal British Legion.

Heads were bowed as a bugler played the Last Post and thoughts turned to those who had made the ultimate sacrifice in the silence that followed, rain dripping from caps, coats and umbrellas as rain water streamed across the pavements and roads where people stood.

Wreaths were laid by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Zafar Ali, the leader of Bradford Council Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe and other dignitaries, veterans groups and members of the public.

The Dean, assisted by representatives from other faiths practised in the district, led prayers at the event. 

Earlier, Bradford Cathedral joined in a nationwide initiative marking the centenary called Battle's Over: A Nation's Tribute. At 6am 1,000 individual pipers across the United Kingdom and countries around the world started the day’s commemorations with the traditional Scottish lament played at the end of battle – Battle’s O’er. 

This was played from the top of the steps at the Cathedral outside the great West Door by Pipe Major Bob Jenkins, of City of Bradford Pipe Band.

In Keighley the crowd spilled over into adjoining streets as the town hall square filled with people for the Remembrance Day parade.

The lone bugler could be seen on the war memorial between hundreds of umbrellas as she played before the traditional two minutes’ silence at 11am.

Then uniformed teenagers from Keighley’s air, sea, army and marine cadet units – standing on the four corners of the memorial – read out the names of Keighley service people who died in 1918.

So many local men gave their lives during that last year of the war that it took 11 minutes to read out all their names.

Keighley’s commemorations began as usual with a walk to Keighley Shared Church for the service of Remembrance.