Royal Albert Hall remembrance honour for Shropshire war veteran

The 61-year-old said he was honoured to be the town's representative at the event in London. But he will be returning straight after the ceremony to ensure he is back in Shropshire for Newport's Remembrance Parade on Sunday.

Tens of thousands will take part in Remembrance Day events across Shropshire and Mid Wales this weekend.

And schools and other groups have been taking part in events to mark the days running up to Remembrance Sunday as well Armistice Day next Wednesday

Mr Armstrong said he was really excited about the weekend as it is an "honour" to represent his home town in front of the Queen.

He said: "I applied a while ago to take the standard down to London, and I was over the moon when I got the call to say I had been chosen. I had to wait a while though, while I was being considered.

"My wife Susan is very proud of me as well. However, she won't be joining me this weekend, which is a shame."

Mr Armstrong joining the Army when he was 15 as a junior cadet in Oswestry.

When he was old enough he moved to a regiment in Yorkshire and went on to serve in the Army for the next 22 years.

But when he left, he joined the Territorial Army for another eight years. Now he has retired he has been selling poppies at Waitrose in Newport for the last five years.

He said: "I love selling the poppies as it gives me the chance to meet lots of different people around the town.

"People tell me all their stories and it really makes it an enjoyable job."

Towns and villages across the county will fall silent on Sunday at 11am to mark Remembrance Day.

One of those to take part will be at the war memorial at Old St Michael's Church in St Michael's Street, Shrewsbury.

Organiser Ken Bishop said: "We are expecting a good turnout this year. Poems will be read by young people which will be a great way of getting them involved with the whole thing."

Children and parents at Old Park Primary School in Malinslee, Telford, have been doing their bit by creating their own personalised poppies.

And a large poppy mural has been painted on the wall of The Plough Inn, Wellington, by students from Ercall Wood Technology College.

In Shrewsbury the main event will be the remembrance service at St Chad's Church at 9.45am on Sunday. A parade will take place through the town and will be attended by service personnel, scouts, guides and cubs.

Telford & Wrekin Council's annual event will be held at The Place in Oakengates Theatre on Sunday at 8pm.

In Market Drayton the event will begin with a parade forming at Queen Street car park at 10am, which will go through the town to St Mary's Church. A church service will then be held from 10.45am to 11.35am ahead of a parade at 11.45am. This will be followed by a salute outside NatWest at 11.55am and a service by the war memorial at noon. In Wem a united service will be held at the parish church on Sunday at 10.50am and will be followed by a service in the church.

Ellesmere Royal British Legion will meet at the Talbot Street car park at 10.30am on Sunday to march off to the war memorial and a service at St Mary's Church.

In Whitchurch people are invited to meet at the cenotaph in Station Road at 10am on Sunday to lay wreaths. There will then be a parade to St Alkmund's Church for a remembrance service.

Oswestry's parade on the Sunday will start at the Bailey Head at 10.45am with a march to the park gates memorial for 11am.

In Welshpool tomorrow there will be a short service of remembrance at the Memorial Gardens, Howell Drive, at 2pm. Later that evening, a festival of remembrance will be held in the town hall assembly rooms at 7.30pm. Then on Sunday the parade will start at 10.40am from Park Lane, heading to St Mary's Church for the service, finishing at the town hall around noon.

Newtown's Remembrance Parade will form up outside the Monty Club at 10.30am on Sunday to march to the War Memorial at 10.40am.

In Ludlow there will be a remembrance service at the Church of St Laurence in College Street at 10.30am on Sunday.

The service will be accompanied by a parade and wreath laying.

In Church Stretton the Royal British Legion will lead a parade from the Church Stretton & District Club in Essex Road to St Laurence's Church in Church Street for a 10am service.

Meanwhile, Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be holding a service of remembrance on Sunday.

Visitors will be able to attend the service led by Padre Richard Clement, Station Chaplain at RAF Cosford, with music by the Cosford Military Wives Choir. The service will take place in the Museum's Hangar 1 at 10.30am.

Newport Civic Service of Remembrance will be held at the Commonwealth war graves in Newport General Cemetery on November 11.

Chetwynd Church will be holding a Remembrance Service on Sunday, commencing at 9am, following which there will be an act of remembrance at the war memorial in the church yard.

St Andrew's Church, Church Aston, will hold its traditional service of remembrance on Sunday at 10.30am. The parade will leave the car park at 10.15am.

The Shifnal Branch of the Royal British Legion and St Andrew's Church Shifnal will be holding their annual Remembrance Sunday Parade and Service on Sunday. The parade will assemble at the War Memorial Club, Five ways, Shifnal at 10.15am and will leave at 10.30 for St Andrew's Church via Victoria Road, Market Place and Church Street.