As the sound of the bugle died away, a hush fell over the crowd who had gathered to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Hundreds of veterans saluted, many wiping away tears, as the national anthem was played in Preston Park, Brighton.

Finally, a startling bang signalled the end of the two-minute silence. The words "we will remember them" echoed around the park as veterans bowed their heads and flagbearers representing the Royal British Legion and the armed forces dipped their standards to the ground.

War veterans, councillors, mayors and council chief executives attended Saturday's VE and VJ commemoration service, organised by the Royal British Legion and Brighton and Hove City Council.

After a rousing opening speech which honoured the thousands of men and women who had fought and given their lives in wars past and present, flags were paraded before the crowds and dignitaries in the VIP area.

When the ceremony was over veterans, dressed in suits and berets and with medals pinned to their jackets, shared stories and remembered a very different era.

Bernie Jordan, 82, of Addison Road, Hove, joined the Royal Navy in 1941 as an electrical artificer and served in the United States on ships that sailed down the Mississippi to New Orleans before heading across the Atlantic to drop off troops and equipment at the D-Day landings.

Mr Jordan said: "I was drafted to the States and went to New Jersey, then to Chicago.

"It was an unusual place for a Navy man to be but there was a group of us working on the ships which would carry tanks, lorries, Jeeps and the troops.

"When we went down to New Orleans we thought we were in Shangri La - we had ice cream and turkey all the time.

"The landings were horrendous and the Yanks seemed to get it worse than us. Everyone gives the French a bit of stick but they were really grateful for everything we did."

The day's events had brought back scores of memories.

Mr Jordan said: "I was one of the lucky ones. Today has been about remembering all those who didn't come back. It has been very touching."

Tents and stalls decorated with ribbons and bunting were set up around the the park where people could find out more about the Legion and the armed forces.

BBC volunteers gathered stories to add to the People's War web site, an online archive for future generations, and young cadets sporting berets with brightly coloured orange and blue plumes gathered by rows of tanks and jeeps.

Crowds looked on in amusement as soldiers raced each other to build buggies for a model car competition in the main arena .

The celebrations were largely funded by the Legion and a National Lottery grant. The council also gave money and provided free use of the park.

The Newhaven Youth Band, the Eastbourne Scottish Pipe Band, the Minden Band and the Sussex Army Cadet Force Corps of Drums provided the music, with the bands playing together for the finale, The Beating Of The Retreat and Sunset Ceremonies.

John Barton, 84, of Wakehurst Drive, Crawley, served in the Air Force from 1941 to 1946.

He recalled how his unit had been hit by a torpedo in the middle of the Algiers invasion.

He said: "We were on a ship which was hit and we were left with nothing.

"I vaguely remember being pulled into one of the boats and somehow making it to shore."

Mr Barton served in Algeria, Tunisia, Italy and Greece, where he spent four years without any leave.

He said: "They seemed to have forgotten about us and then someone in charge came over and when he found out he gave us two weeks' leave.

"I went home to see my family but my parents' house had been bombed two or three times while I was away and I didn't know where they lived anymore.

"I walked to where I thought it was and found myself at a crossroads. I went to a house on the corner and asked the man if he knew where my parents were living. Then in the background I heard my father's footsteps walking down the corridor."

Mr Barton's wife Doris, also 84, said she had been so busy working she didn't realise when peace was declared.

She said: "First I worked on the barrage balloons in London, then I was transferred to Liverpool docks for six months and then to the operations department to work on the Stirling and Lancaster planes.

"Near the end of the war, when people were starving in Holland, we would drop equipment and food for them. They haven't forgotten us and every year there is a flyover when they drop mini red cheeses.

"It is so important that people are here today. It is hard to realise what happened."