
The final poppy has been planted at the Tower of London this morning, as the nation paid tribute to the millions of British servicemen who have died in conflict since the start of the First World War.

The 888,246th flower - representing the life of the 888,246th person who died in action during the Great War - was planted by 13-year-old cadet Harry Hayes, heralding the completion of the magnificent tribute, which has seen the Tower's moat progressively filled with a sea of crimson blooms.

This morning, thousands flocked to the memorial to pay their respects to the nation's war dead on an especially poignant Armistice Day, 100 years since the start of the First World War.

And, by the time the bugler sounded the Last Post just before 11am, thousands more had gathered at the Blood Swept Lands And Seas of Red memorial to take part in the two-minute silence.

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13-year-old cadet Harry Hayes planted the final ceramic poppy at the Tower of London this morning to mark Armistice Day

The teenager collected the poppy from the memorial's artist Paul Cummins (left) before carefully planting the poppy (right)

The military cadet (centre) walked with Mr Cummins to the spot where the final poppy - the 888,246th - would be planted in the ground

Harry, from the Reading Blue Coat School Combined Cadet Force, then pierced the ceramic flower into the grass mound

Harry saluted to tens of thousands of people in the crowd as he completed the vibrant red swathe of the moving memorial

The young cadet wore his full military attire including a poppy-embellished beret while undertaking the honour of planting the poppy

The teenager joined the cadets earlier this year, becoming the latest in a long line of men in his family to have served

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg shares a moment with the young cadet before he plants the final poppy in the memorial

Harry Alexander Hayes is a Year 9 student at Reading Blue Coat School in Berkshire

With the unprecedented popularity of the Tower's powerful transformation, it was only fitting that the emotionally-charged memorial should provide the centrepiece for today's Armistice Day commemorations across Britain.

As the crowd gathered to gaze over the masses of red ceramic poppies spilling from the historic royal palace, each flower provided a painful reminder of the monumental loss of human life suffered during the conflict.

Volunteers have spent months gradually installing the hand-made poppies in the 16-acre moat, resulting in a breathtaking spectacle which has drawn in some five million visitors.

Each of the blooms represents a British or Colonial military death during the First World War, commemorating the individual contribution made by each of those who lost a life.

Just before 11am, a 21-round minute gun was fired by the Honourable Artillery Company on the Tower's wharf, before the Roll of Honour – containing 200 names of some of the fallen from the First World War – was read out by Constable of the Tower of London, General the Lord Dannatt.

After the final name was read out, young Harry, from the Reading Blue Coat School Combined Cadet Force, Berkshire, collected the last poppy from artist Paul Cummins.

He then walked towards the raised grass area where he planted the ceramic flower, completing the vibrant red swathe of the moving memorial.

When he joined the cadets this year, the teenager became the latest in a long line of men from his family who have served their country in a military capacity.

Harry's maternal great-great-great uncle, Private Patrick Kelly of the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, was killed in action on September 27 1918, just weeks before the war's end.

Cadet Hayes said he was nervous as he went up to plant the poppy, telling Sky News: 'It is an amazing honour, seeing all these poppies and I managed to plant the last one.'

As well as Mr Cummins, artist Tom Piper was at the installation, alongside the volunteers who helped to plant the poppies and beneficiaries from the service charities involved.

General the Lord Dannatt, Constable of the Tower of London, read from the famous poem For The Fallen, before the crowd fell silent for the traditional two-minute silence.

The silence was also observed by millions across the country.

He said: 'On behalf of Historic Royal Palaces and the Tower of London I would like to offer my most sincere and humble thanks to the millions of people from around the world who have supported our installation to mark the centenary anniversary of the First World War.

'From the volunteers who helped to plant the poppies, to those that have purchased their own poppy, those that dedicated names for our Roll of Honour and to all the many members of the public who have visited to pay their respects.

'We always hoped the installation would capture the public imagination yet we could not predict the level of support we have received and for this we are truly grateful.

'Not only have we raised vital funds for six service charities but I hope we have also created a fitting tribute to all those who lost their lives'.

Author Anne Strathie was at the service, listening out for the name of William Augustus Oscar Potter - a friend's great-uncle - who died at Ypres in 1917, aged 22, after just reaching the front. Ms Strathie has only recently located his grave.

'I've come along today to sort of represent her because she lives too far away. It's a nice thing for the family,' she said.

'They always knew they had this relation who died, but didn't really know anything about him, so now they have something to remember. I think that's been true for a lot of people.'

Martin Page, whose grandfather and father fought in the First and Second World Wars, said he observed the commemoration ceremony each year.

He brought a small post of poppies to pin to the Tower rails, bearing the inscription: 'For all the fallen, from one who stands and remembers.'

'To look at all this here, it's absolutely magnificent,' he said. 'But it's also tragic when you think that each one of those flowers there is one life.'

For Karen Brown, this year marks the fifth Armistice Day since her nephew died in Afghanistan. Rifleman Daniel Simpson, of the 2nd Battalion The Rifles, was just 20 years old when he was killed on July 10 2009.

She said she was touched by the throngs of people who have turned out to remember those killed in battle.

'It's such a large crowd,' she said, scanning the barricades laden with people, 'I've just come to pay my respects.'

Harry (fifth from right) lined up with other dignitaries at the art installation at the Tower of London for this morning's commemoration

Servicemen walk through each of the 888,245 blooms, which represents a British or Colonial military death during the First World War

Crowds look on at the ceramic poppies as they prepare to take part in the memorial service for Armistice Day

A huge crowd gathered to watch as the final poppy was planted in the moat at the Tower of London during this morning's ceremony

Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that cares for the Tower of London, commissioned the evolving installation - which now encircles the iconic landmark - to reflect the magnitude of such an important centenary.

Meanwhile, private and public commemorations took part across the UK and further afield, including the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire and at Ypres on the former Western Front in Belgium.

Thousands more people gathered in Trafalgar Square, where the Royal British Legion held its Silence In The Square.

Led by Good Morning Britain presenter Ben Shephard, attendees threw poppy petals into the fountain to mark the end of the silence, bringing passers-by and workers out of nearby buildings.

The silence was preceded by music from Britain's Got Talent winners Collabro, folk duo The Shires, New Zealand musical trio Sol3 Mio, London Welsh Male Voice Choir, actor Robert Glenister and Eastenders actress Kellie Shirley.

The London Welsh Male Voice Choir opened the performances with The Man We Never Knew and Songs From The First World War. Kellie Shirley read the poem Lamplight, written by May Wedderburn Cannan in December 1916. Collabro ended the event with Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Lance Corporal Stuart Laing, from the band of the Welsh Guards, played the Last Post and Reveille to mark the start and end of the silence.

General the Lord Dannatt, pictured, read out 200 names of the fallen during the ceremony at the poppies at the Tower of London

The General led the ceremony, pictured, in which the last poppy was placed in the moat at the Tower and the Last Post was played

Smoke from a gun salute was seen behind crowds at the service this morning at the completed Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red

A yeoman warder looked across the poppies before the ceremony took place, attended by tens of thousands from around the world

All 888,246 poppies have now been planted in the dry 16-acre moat, heralding the completion of the poignant memorial

Thousands flocked to the Tower this morning to pay their respects to the nation's war dead on Armistice Day

The Queen, who received a stirring round of applause when she arrived at the Cenotaph yesterday amid allegations of a thwarted terrorism plot, privately observed the two-minute silence before beginning an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Prime Minister David Cameron paid his respects at the Cenotaph in Whitehall in a remembrance service organised by the Western Front Association.

Afterwards he tweeted: 'It was profoundly moving to stand with so many at the Cenotaph today – remembering those who sacrificed so much so we that could be free.'

Graham Jordan took his father Eric, 98, who served in North Africa in the Second World War, to the ceremony on Whitehall.

Mr Jordan said: 'It is a wonderful experience to be able to take part in remembrance of all those who have gone before us.

'It is a wonderful feeling. A shiver goes down your spine as you think of all those who have gone.'

Others at the Cenotaph included pupils of Thetford Grammar School, which lost seven former pupils and four teachers in the First World War.

Seven-year-old schoolboys Alexander Boys-Smith, Noah Kontto-Stubbs and Thomas Dunn, from Eaton House School in Belgravia, also took part in the ceremony, laying wreaths.

Headteacher Lucy Watts said: 'It is a huge privilege to be here. It is something that has become a tradition for our school but we are very conscious that it is just a small number of schools who have this opportunity.'

HARRY, THE FINAL POPPY PLANTER: HOW THE TEEN PROUDLY FOLLOWED HIS FAMILY INTO THE MILITARY WORLD Harry Alexander Hayes, a Year 9 student at Reading Blue Coat School in Berkshire, today planted poppy number 888,246 at the Tower of London. This year, he joined the Army Cadets after becoming eligible when he turned 13, becoming the latest in a long line of men in his family to have served. He is the youngest member of the force. Harry's maternal great-great-great uncle, Private Patrick Kelly of the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, was killed in action on September 27 1918, just weeks before the war's end. Harry Hayes's great-great-great uncle Private Patrick Kelly (pictured left and right with two friends, Jim Foy and unknown) was killed in action on September 27 1918, weeks before the war ended The soldier, from Westport, County Mayo, is buried in Sanders Keep military cemetery in Graincourt-les-Havrincourt, France. He enlisted into the British Army in Atherton, Lancashire. When he died, he left behind a wife, Marjory née Nixon. Harry's father Des Hayes is a major in the Combined Cadet Force, having been a Captain in the Army Cadet Force. A veteran of the British Army, he served with the Airborne Forces from 1978 to 1989. He now works as the Operations and Safety Manager for the Historic Royal Palaces, specialising in fire, health and safety during events at the Tower of London. Harry Hayes (right) walks to the service with his father Des (left), who served in the British Army for 11 years and now works as the Operations and Safety Manager at the Tower of London As part of his role at the Tower, Mr Hayes wrote the safety rules for cadets volunteering to plant the poppies, including a risk assessment of his son's special public planting appearance today. Mr Hayes has previously worked as a fire safety officer across various stations for the London Fire Brigade Reading Blue Coat School tutor Will Mitchell said Harry was a positive and happy student who had joined the school just this year: 'He's settled in remarkably well. He is quite conscientious boy who's very positive and always smiling,' he said. Advertisement

Another was laid by Valerie Beattie, 59, for her great uncle Leonard Flanders Peacock, who died in the Somme.

She said: 'He volunteered at the age of 30. He was killed in the Battle for High Wood on the 30th of July 1916. It's very emotional to be here today.'

A bugler from the Grenadier Guards signalled the start of the silence by playing the Last Post, while singer Cerys Matthews read the poem In Flanders Fields.

She said: 'My grandfather died this year. He was a war veteran of the Second World War so it is with respect to all family members lost in wars over the years that I come and pay my respects.

'Poetry is so powerful and a great way of stepping in somebody's shoes and trying to get a fuller picture and an idea of how it might have felt.'

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon observed a two-minute silence among injured war veterans in Kent and laid a wreath at a Royal British Legion service to mark Armistice Day.

He chatted with veterans privately at the RBLI Village in Aylesford before taking part in a short service held in the Garden of Honour.

Mr Fallon was also one of several people to lay a wreath of poppies in the garden. He was followed by Chatham and Aylesford MP Tracey Crouch and children from Aylesford and St Peter's primary schools.

The service, led by the Reverend Chris van Straaten, was attended by about 130 people who listened to prayers and the poem Anthem For A Doomed Youth, before the two-minute silence was observed at 11am.

In Market Weighton, East Yorkshire, four-year-old Anna Howlett planted the final clay poppy at her school, St Mary's RC Primary School, where pupils had made and planted one poppy for every child.

In Edinburgh, services were held in the Garden of Remembrance next to the Scott Monument and at Waverley railway station.

Four-year-old Anna Howlett planted the final clay poppy at St Mary's RC Primary School in Market Weighton, East Yorkshire, where pupils made and planted one poppy for each of the children at the school

A roll of honour - consisting of 200 names of those who died during the war - were read out to the crowd at the Tower of London

The ceremony at the Tower marked a national day of tributes for Armistice Day and included a 21-gun salute

Ribbons of purple sky twisted over the Tower of London this morning, as the sun rose over the 888,245 poppies which fill the moat

THE FUTURE FATE OF THE POPPIES All 888,246 poppies – one for each British and colonial death during the war – have now been sold at £25 each. Part of the estimated £15million proceeds will be shared between six service charities. A team of 8,000 volunteers will begin dismantling and cleaning the flowers tomorrow. One section - the wave of poppies - will remain in place until the end of the month. It came after calls from politicians to extend the memorial so more can visit it in place. The Wave is a steel construction made of poppies surrounding the entrance to the Tower of London. This part and the so-called weeping window - which depicts poppies falling from a window on the top floor of the Tower - will then be displayed across the country in different museums. It will then be put permanently on display at the Imperial War Museum in 2018. Once the remaining poppies start being removed tomorrow, they will be sent to the distribution centre to be prepared to be sent out to those who have bought the poppy. Organisers estimate the delivery will take place between January and February, due to the high number of orders to process. Advertisement

In Glasgow, an Armistice Day service was held in George Square, while Transport and Veterans Minister Keith Brown unveiled a new armed forces memorial plaque at Central Station.

The black marble plaque reads: 'On these platforms, in two World Wars, hundreds of thousands of servicemen and women said good-bye to their families, some for the last time.'

Mr Brown said: 'The people of Scotland owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who fought and died in the two World Wars - and this plaque is a fitting commemoration to those who said to goodbye to their families, some for the last time, at platforms one and two in this station.

'This year's remembrance is particularly poignant, falling as it does in the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War, a conflict in which Scotland, in common with so many other nations, suffered appalling losses.

'This is a time of sombre reflection in which we remember those lost in that conflict and in many others over the last century.'

People in Inverness gathered outside the Town House for the two-minute silence, while in Dumfries it was observed at the war memorial outside St John's Church.

And in Liverpool, confetti and red balloons were thrown into the air after the two-minute silence was observed.

Meanwhile, in Heathrow's Terminal 5, staff and passengers came to a complete standstill, while shoppers in the usually-bustling Cabot Circus in Bristol also stopped to honour the brief silence.

Armistice Day was also marked at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, where Prince Edward joined in with proceedings.

Elsewhere, French President Francois Hollande laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris

A memorial service was held in the Afghan capital Kabul for British servicemen killed there

And in the Belgian town of Ypres there was a special sounding of the Last Post to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the war.

Richard Hughes, of the Western Front Association, said this year's commemorations were not just about the end of the First World War.

Since last year's Armistice Day, another seven members of the British armed forces have died in service - including five who died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in April.

He said: 'We have got the modern version here with us stepping back from Afghanistan. That itself has tremendous resonance.'

Armistice Day has been marked on the November 11 every year since 1919 - a year after the Allied forces signed an agreement with the Germans that would end the First World War.

Although at first former servicemen wanted to forget the horrifying experiences of war, a decade later remembrance became more popular.

Prime Minister David Cameron joined hundreds of others by marking Armistice Day at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London

Afterwards he tweeted: 'It was profoundly moving to stand with so many at the Cenotaph today – remembering those who sacrificed so much so we that could be free'

After the Second World War, commemorations were adapted to honour the fallen of both conflicts, and Remembrance Sunday was established to replace Armistice Day.

In the 1980s, as the number of surviving First World War veterans quickly fell, some commentators believed that remembrance would come to fade away.

But, from 1995, the British Legion campaigned successfully to restore the two-minute silence to November 11 as well as Remembrance Sunday, and recent years have seen a resurgence in support for commemoration events.

Mr Hughes said a growing interest in family history and the losses of more recent wars have made remembrance more significant, particularly to current servicemen.

He said, 'The notion of remembrance has become important again. It has stopped being obscure old history. To be part of that continuing tradition of remembrance gives soldiers a great comfort and it gives their families great comfort.'

This year's centenary of the beginning of the First World War - highlighted by the incredible memorial at the Tower - has also opened another generation's eyes to the magnitude of the conflict.

Mr Hughes said: 'The biggest single change for society in this country was the First World War. It had a far more profound effect on the country than the Second World War.

'It had on the country a sense of national loss that the Second World War did not even come close to approaching.'

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has seen its web traffic more than double since last year, with increasing numbers of people eager to trace their family history.

Peter Francis, of the CWGC, said, 'While every Remembrance Day is important, this first Remembrance Day of the Centenary of the First World War is particularly poignant.

'Sadly, the veterans of the Great War are no longer with us and our challenge is to make the war, and remembrance of it, relevant to new generations.'

Furthermore, this year's Poppy Appeal has been more successful than ever. The British Legion is on target to sell more than 45 million poppies by the end of Armistice Day - one million more than last year.

Mr Clarke said: 'This year it feels like there are more poppies out in the streets and a lot of different styles of poppy, because remembrance is very personal.

'In the year of the centenary of the start of the First World War, it is going to be very poignant at 11 o'clock when we stop to reflect on the losses for the British armed forces.'

All 888,246 ceramic poppies – one for each British and colonial death during the war – have now been sold at £25 each, with part of the estimated £15million proceeds shared between six service charities.

Despite a public campaign to make the entire display permanent, a team of 8,000 volunteers will begin dismantling and cleaning the flowers tomorrow. One section, the wave of poppies, will remain in place until the end of the month.

Prince Edward raised a salute (left) and joined in with hymns (right) during the Armistice Day Service in Staffordshire

The service was held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, at the same time as the last poppy was planted in London

The service was attended by thousands of people and is one of several commemorations taking place throughout the UK today

This part and the so-called weeping window will then be displayed across the country in different museums, before being permanently installed at the Imperial War Museum in 2018.

The tour of sections of the artwork will be funded with charitable donations as well as £500,000 from the Government.

The first poppy was planted by the Tower's longest serving Yeoman Warder on 17 July, before the installation was officially launched on 5 August.

After that, a total of 19,000 volunteers helped to install the poppies while a further 8,000 volunteers will help with the remove them.

Each evening, 180 names of serving military killed in the First World War were read at a Roll of Honour during the installation period.

The poppies that make up the installation have been sold to raise millions of pounds which will be shared equally amongst six service charities in the UK.

The charities chosen are Confederation of Service Charities (COBSEO), Combat Stress, Coming Home, Help for Heroes, Royal British Legion and SSAFA (formerly the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association). Each charity is expected to receive in excess of £1.2million.

The poppy was adopted by the Royal British Legion in 1921 as the official symbol to be sold to raise funds for injured servicemen.

The Poppy Factory in Richmond, London, was the first to make the iconic red poppies in 1922 and currently make around 40 million each year.

It was initially set up by Major George Howson, an engineer who served on the Western Front in the First World War, to help disabled ex-servicemen and women.

The charity, who have helped sick, wounded and injured ex-service personnel find employment for almost a century, have gone on to make more than a billion poppies.

General manager Bill Kay said: 'We produced every poppy in the UK up until the mid-noughties. It’s only recently that other firms and societies have started making them.

'This year alone we’ll have made around 45 million poppies, one million crosses and around 120,000 wreaths. We have an enormous production of the poppies here in the factory but we also have home-workers who produce them for us too. But the charity’s main aim has always been to help those who have been left sick, disabled or injured get back into work.'

The Poppy Factory has helped more than 350 disabled veterans into employment since 2011.

Charles Byrne, Director of Fundraising at The Royal British Legion, said: 'The Royal British Legion was created in 1921 to support the Armed Forces in the aftermath of the First World War.

'We have worked in partnership with the Poppy Factory since it was established in 1922 to produce poppies and wreaths for the annual Poppy Appeal and Remembrance activities.

'We are extremely proud of our long standing relationship with the factory, as they continue to contribute towards the production of the poppies which give the public a way to demonstrate their support for our Armed Forces past and present.'

DIGNITARY FALLS OVER AMONG THE SEA OF CRIMSON POPPIES DURING THE TWO-MINUTE SILENCE AT THE TOWER A dignitary at the Tower of London fell over today during the two-minute silence held for Armistice Day The man managed to grab his headwear and stand back up among the poppies for the remainder of the silence Advertisement

Passengers at King's Cross Railway Station fell silent at 11am as they held a two-minute silent beneath a giant poppy on the concourse

Thousands laid wreaths at the Armistice Day Service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire earlier today

The crowd listens at the remembrance service in Staffordshire, which was attended by hundreds wanting to pay their respects

Children held memorial crosses, complete with stuck-on poppies, as they gathered at the Fusilier Museum in Bury

Confetti was thrown into the air in Liverpool City Centre after thousands, including former servicemen, gathered to observe the silence

Veterans and members of the public view the Garden of Remembrance at the Scott Monument in Edinburgh after the two-minute silence

The names of those who have died in conflicts including the First World War and Second World War were put into crosses in Edinburgh

Former Royal Engineer Robert Mackenzie joined those paying tribute to the fallen at the service in Edinburgh

Thousands turned out in Trafalgar Square where a two-minute silence was followed by poppies being thrown into the fountain

A huge crowd formed in Nottingham as people turned out to commemorate a particularly special Armistice Day

Staff and passengers in Heathrow's Terminal 5 paused for the silence at 11am today

Shoppers paused at Cabot Circus, Bristol, as the clock struck 11am and silence filled the usually packed and noisy shopping centre

Solihull School in the West Midlands came to a standstill along with the rest of the country at exactly 11am today

The pupils stood in silence in front of its own field of more than 200 clay poppies, which it had made in remembrance of the Great War

A veteran salutes during the ceremony at the Cenotaph in Manchester (left) while a crowd gathers in silence in Edinburgh (right)

One woman lays down a tribute to a fallen soldier in London, one of the several Armistice Day commemorations taking place today

Jack Walker, 83, of the Coldstream Guards (left) is among hundreds who attended the Armistice Day service at Royal Armouries, Leeds

A schoolgirl sits among the clay poppies in Solihull (left) while a passenger bows his head at the railway station in York (right)

A young woman wipes a tear from her eye as she observes a memorial in London paying tribute to those injured and killed in combat

A woman touches a wall with names of fallen armed forces personnel (left), as a lone soldier walks nearby (right), during commemorations at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshirdshire

A ceremony at Norwich War Memorial in front of the city hall and market was organised by Norwich Combined Ex-Services Association

England football manager Roy Hodgson (second from left) and captain Wayne Rooney (third from right) stand for a two minute's silence ahead of a training session at St George's Park near Burton-on-Trent

Theo Walcott, Joe Hart, Gareth Southgate and Roy Hodgson lay a wreath at the National Memorial Arboretum today

The England players visited the memorial in Staffordshire for Armistice Day. Pictured: Jack Butland and Roy Hodgson

Second World War veterans David Ovestone (right) and Leslie Potter (left) hold hands during a ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres

Crosses bearing the names of more than 54,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers whose graves are not known were left at the gate

Spectators watched as the Last Post was played during the Armistice Day ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium

The Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, came to a standstill during the two-minute silence earlier today

Brokers, underwriters and dignitaries paused in the usually bustling building, as some captured the touching moment on their phones

UK servicemen and women pause to remember the fallen at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, on Armistice Day