WAR veterans, community leaders and army officers gathered in Chepstow on Tuesday to commemorate Anzac Day, writes Alex Cinus. Wreaths were laid by local dignitaries at the commemorative gun in the town, followed by an address by Rev Rodney Ingrouille and a two-minute silence.

The annual remembrance service is arranged in Beaufort Square by the Royal Naval Association, at the memorial to Able Seaman William Charles Williams VC.

Ian Sime, the vice chairman of the Royal Naval Association, said: "Today is a very important day for Chepstow, as it is the only ceremony of its type in Wales.

"The majority of people that died on this day 91 years ago were from Australia and New Zealand, which is where the name Anzac comes from.

"We must keep the memory of what happened at this battle alive and we are trying to get school children aware of what happened and the sacrifices people made in the past.

"We are also commemorating toda, the battle that took place in Gallipoli where Chepstow citizen Able Seaman Williams VC lost his life and won his Victoria Cross for outstanding bravery in battle."

The memorial to Seaman Williams VC is a gun that was presented to Chepstow by King George V.

At the battle of Gallipoli, in Turkey, in April 1915, Able Seaman Williams held a rope together which formed a bridge to the shore for over an hour before he was killed, enabling many people to get ashore.

Nearly 560,000 allied troops took part in the disastrous Gallipoli campaign: 50,000 were killed and 200,000 wounded before being evacuated, having gained nothing.

During the service Ted Green the President and Chairman of the Royal Naval Association made an emotional speech where he asked those in attendance never to forget the thousands of officers and men who died during the battle and stressed the continued importance of the annual service.

Chepstow mayor Armand Watts said: "Today is clearly an important day in the town, as it is a reminder of the bravery and sacrifice made by a generation that we must never forget. This a unique tradition to Chepstow and I am happy we are keeping it alive."