YEAR upon year the numbers of poppies grow, a scarlet slash reaching from the Town Bridge to the Cenotaph, the place where a city gathers to pay its respects.

Twenty years ago there was for some an air of quaintness about Remembrance Sunday.

Although thought and spoken of respectfully, for many it was about ageing men remembering old wars.

This year with the sounding of the Last Post and the dipping of the black-beribboned standards barely a finger moved or a baby cried.

All now know that once more Newport and Gwent is bringing home those who have died in the service of their country.

The increased air of solemnity was matched by the larger numbers come to watch the traditional parade and to take part.

Twenty years ago there were still men who had served in the Great War, the conflict for which Remembrance Sunday was instituted.

They have passed on and even the ranks of those who served in the Second War War are thinner.

Still, 80 ex-servicemen bearing the cap badges of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, the Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery, the South Wales Borderers and the the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the Welch Regiment and the Parachute Regiment, the Welsh Guards, the Royal Air Force and the Merchant Navy took pride of place in front of the Cenotaph.

As in other years the large marching contingent headed by the Pipes and Drums of the City of Newport gathered in the High Street.

Present-day services were represented by sailors and Royal Marines from Newport's adopted ship HMS Severn and a large contingent of officers and men from the Newport-based 104 Regiment, Royal Artillery.

Members of the fire and rescue service and St John Ambulance Brigade marched along with Gwent Police who officers and PCSOs also marshalled traffic.

Cadet forces were represented by Training Ship Resolute from Newport with a small contingent from its Cardiff equivalent, Army Cadets and members of the Air Training Corps.

The large Scout and Cub contingent led by the band of Newport Boys' Brigade included the 6th and 7th, 24th and 26th Newport troops and the 1st Llanmartin and the 1st Wentwood troops.

With the veterans, regular, reserve, cadet forces and emergency and youth organisations formed around three sides of the Cenotaph with MPs, AMs, councillors and city officials occupying the fourth the service of remembrance and dedication was opened by the Bishop of Monmouth the Right Rev. Dominic Walker assisted by the mayor's chaplain the Rev. David Parfitt.

The exortation 'They Shall Not Grow Old' was read by Lieutenant Colonel P Shepheard-Walwyn, commanding officer 104 Regiment.

A few seconds after the affirmation 'We Will Remember Them' a ceremonial field gun manned by soldiers of 104 Regiment and stationed on Town Bridge boomed out the beginning of the two-minute silence.

Then, with the stirring notes of the Reveille the dressed standards snapped back to the 'raise' position for the Kohimah Epitaph and the laying of the wreaths first by Mr Simon Boyle the Lord Lieutenant for Gwent and the Queen's representative in the county, then the ex-service organisations, the mayor, leader of the council and opposition, Members of Parliament and AMs, Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force representatives in the mayoral party, fire, police and ambulance officers and serving miltary and naval units.

With youth playing such a pronounced part the practice of prayers for each of the fighting services in turn read by a cadet from the appropriate service branch was maintained.

Remembrance Sunday recalls those who fell in battle but the Act of Commitment reminds all that just battles are fought to maintain a wider peace, safety and reconciliation.

The Lord's Prayer was said, the national anthems heartily sung and so Newport's service of remembrance perhaps even more dignified and imbued with meaning than in previous years came to an end.