Like many others, one Kirkcaldy veteran has his own reasons for quiet contemplation on Remembrance Sunday.
Each year Lewis Montague, 35, stops to remember his comrade Private Marc Ferns of Glenrothes, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq 12 years ago.
The pair, who were serving with the Black Watch in Basra, bonded because they were both from Fife.
Mr Montague will never forget the moment he watched his injured friend being stretchered away.
“I watched as he was carried to the chopper,” he said.
“I would never see him again.
“It was a terrible time and his death really hit home. He was just 21.”
On Sunday he planned to pay his respects at the cenotaph before raising a glass to fallen friends at his local branch of the Royal British Legion.
“I think people sometimes forget that this time of year isn’t just about the fallen of the two world wars,” he said.
“It’s also about the servicemen and women who lost their lives in more recent conflicts.
“We should never forget the sacrifices that have been made for us.
“There are so many wounded veterans out there who need help, as do their families.”
People gathered in towns and villages across Fife to remember the region’s war dead on Sunday.
The Royal British Legion led parades to war memorials across the kingdom.
Despite the cold and wet conditions, crowds turned out to observe a poignant silence and watch wreaths being laid.
Among the larger events were parades in Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and St Andrews, where members of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards from Leuchars Station took part.
