Hundreds of people turned out for the Remembrance Day ceremony yesterday to remember those who served their country in times of war.

Onlookers young and old cheered as nearly 30 veterans or their family members paraded down Front Street, including five or six men escorted in wheelchairs, to the War Memorial.

New Premier Paula Cox, who wore a black and white patchwork overcoat and hat, said it was important to remember those who had sacrificed for us and admitted "it brings an outpouring of emotion when I see veterans that are here rain, blow or shine".

Scores of people gathered around the memorial honouring the men and women who served in the world wars.

And Governor Sir Richard Gozney, The Premier, Mayor of Hamilton Charles Gosling, Opposition Leader Kim Swan and others laid wreaths in memory of our fallen soldiers at the War Memorial.

Mr. Swan said: "It's important that we take time to remember those who sacrificed their lives for the war."

According to Carol Everson, the welfare case worker for the Royal British Legion, there are nearly 350 veterans and widows on the Island today.

These people served in the Second World War, as well as wars in Korea, Panama and the Suez Canal.

A new memorial listing all the names of people who served their country has just been finished in the Cabinet grounds.

Ms Everson added: "To me seeing these people around the memorial was wonderful and watching them tracing the names of people they loved with their fingers was special because they are not just looking at the names, they are feeling them."

The new memorial is the first on the Island to list the names of all the men and women of Bermuda — nearly 3,000 — who dedicated time to First and Second World Wars. More Bermudians per capita than any other country in the world volunteered to serve in the world wars.

Works and Engineering Minister Derrick Burgess, who along with Ms Everson, was behind the memorial project, said in a press statement: "I honour the men and women who served in the great wars and those who gave their lives in service to their country."

Sergeant Debbie Simons said she came out to honour her grandfather John W. DeShields, who was the longest living veteran on the Island who died in 2008 at the age of 99.

"He was a role model for myself. He was the one who encouraged me to join the Bermuda Regiment and I am in it today because of him," she said.

Raymond DeShields, the veteran's son added: "We come to pay respects for the people that sacrificed their freedoms so we could have the freedom of not being occupied by another country."

A long-standing sergeant visiting from the UK was on Island to join in the celebration.

Sgt. Melrose Fitzgerald said: "I think the service went very well. It made me very, very proud as it is the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. "Plus I think it is absolutely fantastic that it is a holiday here and it is not anywhere else in the world."

Spectator Julie-Kay Darrell said she enjoyed the outing and loved to see the new Premier and the Cabinet members.

"The memorial is such a great way to acknowledge those who served for us," she added.

Lawyer and politician Arthur Hodgson said he came to the celebration to show a visiting friend "a little of Bermudiana".

He said: "I think that occasions such as this are extremely important because it is a form of national art and every country has to have some form of expression of its emotion and this is one such occasion."

In addition to the service, hymns and songs of remembrance were played by The Band and Corps of Drums of the Bermuda Regiment, The Salvation Army Bermuda Divisional Band and The North Village Band, Somerset Brigade Band, Bermuda Islands Pipe Band and The Choir of Wesley Methodist Church.