Services of commemoration are being held around the world to mark the end of World War I in 1918.

Angela Merkel will become the first German chancellor to mark Armistice Day by attending the main French commemorative event in Paris.

In London, the Queen, politicians and armed forces chiefs will mark the passing of the WWI generation.

Australia has already held remembrance services, and later the US will hold Veterans Day events.

At the main UK military base in Afghanistan, Camp Bastion in Helmand province, a padre led prayers for the dead and injured in all conflicts since World War I.

The BBC’s Adam Mynott reports that a heavy gun was fired, and for two minutes those who could stood still in silence to pay respects for those killed in war.

He adds that at the forefront of people’s minds were the 233 British service personnel who have died in Afghanistan since military operations began in 2001.

The memorial service in London, at Westminster Abbey, is being held following the deaths this year of the final three veterans of the war living in the UK.

But the last surviving British World War I veteran shunned Remembrance Day commemorations in Australia because he was against the glorification of war, his family has said.

Claude Choules, 108, who lives in a nursing home in Perth, became Britain’s sole survivor from the 1914-to-1918 war following the death of fellow veteran Harry Patch at the age of 111.

Copyright: BBC
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