A special two-minute sequence of wartime images played over The Last Post has been posted on the Internet by the Royal British Legion.

The Royal British Legion looks after 700,000 war veterans

It is the first time the legion, whose site was developed a year ago, has commemorated the 1918 Armistice on the Web.

Those who log on to the sequence are expected to observe two minutes' silence for the dead - of the two world wars as well as the Falklands, Northern Ireland and other conflicts involving UK troops - at 11am on 11 November.

In recent years the "11th of the 11th" has grown in importance.

'This does not replace Remembrance Sunday'

The Legion's Information Officer, Joe Moorhouse, says: "We have a national celebration on Remembrance Sunday and that tends to be very traditional.

"But the 11th has been very successful in recent years with 69% of people acknowledging it and as many as 96% in schools.

"Daily we have been hearing about big firms - such as train and ferry companies and airport operators - who are agreeing to mark it."

The legion says it cannot expect complete observance of the two minute silence and Mr Moorhouse says: "If people wish to stop and remember they should be given the freedom and opportunity to do so and they can do this by watching the special sequence at any time they choose."

A tenth of total war dead were Britons

There are only 300 British World War I veterans still alive

The legion was formed in 1921 to care for the survivors of World War I and the dependants of the one million British Empire dead.

It cares for about 700,000 veterans and their dependants but about 15 million Britons are entitled to use its services.

The financial burden is a heavy one - in 1996/7 the legion spent £28.8m on welfare services - and although it is more than 50 years since the last world war, demand is set to continue rising for at least the next 10 years.

The Poppy Appeal raises about 50% of the money and the rest comes from other fundraising events and bequests.

Each year the legion has to think of ways to keep their profile high and attract support from all sections of society.

Aiming to set new record

Last year the Spice Girls were recruited to launch the Poppy Appeal and a record £17.3m was raised.

This year football is the main medium - Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger joined Prime Minister Tony Blair to launch the appeal last month - but the Net is also being utilised.

Mr Moorhouse, says: "The volume of hits on our special Poppy Appeal site is increasing and we are expecting a fair few on November 11."

He says: "The younger generation tend to use the Internet a lot and it is a good way of getting the message over to them."

Mr Moorhouse says they are also expecting a lot of hits from abroad - especially Commonwealth countries such as Australia and India.

Soldiers from the Commonwealth who fought for the British Empire are looked after by the British Commonwealth Ex-Servicemen's League, which is partially funded by the Poppy Appeal.

Millions of poppies on sale

Des Lynam, Tony Blair and Arsène Wenger at the Poppy Appeal launch

This year the legion's poppy factory in Richmond, Surrey - which is run by 30 disabled ex-servicemen - will produce more than 30 million poppies.

Meanwhile, representatives of Ireland's Protestant and Catholic communities are to unite in a salute to 50,000 compatriots who fought together and died in the British army during World War I.

The Queen will be joined by Ireland's President Mary McAleese on Remembrance Sunday at Messines Ridge in Belgium where Catholics and Protestants battled side-by-side in 1917.

Mrs McAleese will inaugurate a 100ft (30-metre) high "peace tower" in the presence of the Queen and Belgium's King Albert.