Remembrance Day 2024: Castlederg flute band and Orangemen will take part in annual parade through streets of London
Northern Ireland Orangemen and bandsmen will proudly parade the streets of London to mark Remembrance Day this weekend.
The Grand Orange Lodge of England has proudly continued the tradition in the capital for over 35 years.
Castlederg man Peter Williamson, who is now Worshipful Master of LOL 848 Sussex Crown Defenders, will be one of those taking part.
"Around 300 Orangemen and women will be led in the parade by Castlederg Young Loyalist flute band, who are travelling over for the third consecutive year to lead our remembrance parade through the Nation's Capital," he told the News Letter.
Some orangemen from Castlederg will also take part in the parade, he said.
"On Saturday morning, the newly appointed Grand Master of England, Tim Lords, will lead a small gathering of brethren to visit King William III's tomb at Westminster Abbey, where a short service will be held by the Dean of Westminster for us.
"The parade will be attended by several Lodges across the South East and the UK, including my own Lodge LOL 848 Sussex Crown Defenders. There are also several brethren travelling from the Castlederg Lodge LOL 379 Bridgetown No Surrender."
The parade will start near Vauxhall Bridge and march down Millbank, passing Whitehall, where the band, Grand Master and each Lodge will lay a wreath at the cenotaph, followed by a minute's silence. The parade will then travel past Trafalgar Square and finish at Temple, along Victoria Embankment.
"The Grand Master will make a short speech and then we will make our way to The Windsor at Fenchchurch Street for our social, where the Castlederg Young Loyalists Flute Band will play several tunes."
Mr Williamson said: "The parade does get quite a lot of support from bystanders, many of whom follow it along the footpath as well.
"I think last year, there were several thousand people that came out to cheer us on. Many of them just walked along with us on the road to support us."
It costs the Castlederg band about £4000 to attend each year - this being their third time taking part.
"It's really their end of season finale - you can't get much better than parading the capital of the nation."