Former servicemen have paid tribute to their late Commander in Chief while remembering the “sacrifice of millions” during the Battle of Britain.
Dignitaries gathered at the Norwich War Memorial outside Norwich City Hall to commemorate 82 years since the Battle of Britain on Monday.
The affair was scaled back following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday at the age of 96.
It was attended by members of Norwich City Council and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Association on the morning of Monday, September 12.
Among their number was Eric Fox who served in the RAF for 22 years and joined months after the Queen's coronation in 1953.
He has also been a member of the RAF Association since 2000 and is the chairman of the Norwich branch.
He said: "Her Majesty's loss has been very heartfelt.
"The last time I saw the Queen in person was at a charity garden party at Sandringham a few years ago.
"I've only ever served the Queen.
"It's a change that none of us have really witnessed before.
"The majority of people in Britain have never known anything else."
Joining him was former serviceman Stuart Colborne, who served in the RAF for 39 years and was based at RAF Neatishead at the time of his retirement.
On marking the Battle of Britain during a period of national mourning, he said: "We're still commemorating the Battle of Britain.
"Obviously there's been a different tone to it - it's been scaled down and the RAF is not here to demonstrate their loyalty.
"For us it's a seamless transition. We go from one monarch to another.
"It's a very sad occasion but we've got to be thankful for her support - especially for the armed services - but for the whole country.
"It's ever important we mark the anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
"The RAF remains a very junior service as it was only established in 1918. The Royal Air Force is the first independent operating air force in the world - it's something we should be quite proud of and we want to perpetuate that.
"We're very keen to maintain this exposure."
The RAF was due to attend with a parade and band but it was no longer able to offer its attendance.
The veterans, along with the Lord Mayor of Norwich Dr Kevin Maguire, gave speeches and laid wreaths at the St Peters Street memorial.
The Battle of Britain was fought in the skies to defend the United Kingdom from large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe between July 10 and October 31, 1940.
The campaign, which spanned more than three months, overlapped with the early months of the Blitz, which started on September 7, 1940 and raged on until May 11, 1941.
Both the Lord Mayor and Mr Colborne paid tribute to the heroics of the near-3,000 RAF personnel who took part in the battle of September 15, 1940 - which is often described as the turning point in Second World War.
The event also acknowledged the sacrifice of those currently serving and their families as well as civilians caught up in current conflicts.
In his speech, the Lord Mayor said: "In 1940 we were fighting for survival following the retreat in Europe and the evacuation of the army at Dunkirk.
"The RAF had already lost 104 aircraft. The only obstacle for an invasion of Britain was the Royal Air Force - as for any landing to be successful, control of the skies was essential.
"It was pilot, pitting their skills against pilot over the Kent countryside.
"It was the first decisive battle in history that was fought entirely in the air.
"This was a team effort and the 3,000 pilots drawn from the RAF, Royal Navy and allies all over the Commonwealth - from occupied Europe, the US and the Republic of Ireland - succeeded in defeating the Luftwaffe. This team spirit came from those who were a vital part of the overall war effort.
"We must remember these sacrifices made by millions of people."
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