THIS week has been one for remembrance; first of all we celebrated Guy Fawkes night which was on command of the King, James I who said 'the people of England should have a great bonfire on the night of November 5'.

Of course many of us recall the children's rhyme:

Remember, remember the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot,

I see no reason, why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, guy, t'was his intent

To blow up king and parliament.

Three score barrels were laid below

To prove old England's overthrow.

By God's mercy he was catch'd

With a darkened lantern and burning match.

So, holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring.

Holler boys, holler boys, God save the king.

And what shall we do with him?

Burn him!

The plot was a Catholic conspiracy to blow up the House of Lords, and the King.

Of course things are never that clear and there is good evidence to indicate the plot was infiltrated and helped by Government spies who, having foiled the plan, led a purge against any Catholic sympathisers.

Having the sky lit up on the 5th of course is a very helpful reminder to me that November 6 is my wedding anniversary and on Friday we celebrated 27 years by eating out at the delightful Ode in Shaldon.

The serious remembering, however, took place on Sunday, Remembrance Sunday, to pay tribute to all those who fell, were injured or survived in our forces since 1914.

This year I started the day at the war memorial in Teignmouth.

A cold wind blew in from the sea, but that did not deter a massive turnout to see the parade.

Vince Fusco, the mayor, laid the first wreath on behalf of the town and I laid the second followed by the British Legion, other service associations and then organisations from the town, some 35 in all.

The service here broke some new ground in not permitting any political party to be called forward to lay a wreath.

The organisers had felt that party politics was beginning to creep into the service, an issue the National British Legion is very concerned about and I totally agree with them.

As a prospective parliamentary candidate I never laid a wreath, although I always attended the service.

In being there I paid my respects to those who did not return and appreciation for all who served.

I hope other legions will follow Teignmouth's lead.

Gathering in Courtenay Street in Newton Abbot, the parade marched to the war memorial at the end of Queen Street. My wife attended on my behalf and laid a wreath.

Back in Teignmouth, after the parade I visited each of the three service clubs for a small coca cola, no ice, I was already cold enough!

I paid my second visit to the Dawlish British Legion in the afternoon.

I had been over there on the Saturday night for their fundraising 'poppy back' which was great fun.

At 2.45pm, as a guest of the legion, I marched with them to the war memorial by St Gregory's church.

Again the parade was very well attended, indeed rather overcrowded in the wall area which defines this place of remembrance.

After the parade there followed a church service which was led by the new vicar Simon Croft.

He gave an excellent sermon which was pitched to appeal to the large number of youngsters in the church as well as those of us who are not so young.

Back at the British Legion Club, certificates and awards were made to long-standing members and others for their support in raising money for the work of the legion.

As a member of the Defence Select Committee, we look at the work of the MoD, not just the equipment they supply or lack of it, but also how they look after ex-service people and those injured in body and mind, as well as the families of those who are killed and injured.

The British Legion is not just a club where old soldiers drink; it is a welfare organisation which also cares for former servicemen and women and their families.

Each branch has a welfare officer who seeks to help those who may by having problems.

The legion does excellent work, which I know of locally but also nationally, as I have seen the evidence given to the Select Committee.

My final visit of the day was to Shaldon. No parade, just a church service with the remembrance of the fallen from Shaldon as part of the service.

It is a lovely church with a fabulous organ which always gives an added depth to the service.

After the service we gathered in the Victoria Hall for a cup of tea, a biscuit and a chat.

But this is not the end of remembrance, for the work of the legion along with other bodies who support service people and their families continues all year long.