Leamington remembers: Watch our video of the 80th Anniversary of D-Day memorial service
Veterans, dignitaries and residents gathered at the war memorial in Leamington today to mark the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.
A moving service was held at the memorial in Euston Place.
The service was opened by Martin Harrison, the secretary of the Leamington branch of the Royal British Legion, who read some details about the pivotal Second World War military operation – codenamed Overlord - which involved the allied forces invading the beaches of Normandy in German-occupied France on June 6 1944.
Around 4,000 allied soldiers were killed during the operation.
Mr Harrison’s reading was followed by a Prayer of Remembrance given by Father Christopher Wilson of All Saints’ Parish Church.
Veteran Stan Sabin, whose father was part of the first landing force of 156,000 allied soldiers, read a record pieced together from war diaries and other records kept by the 17 Base Ammunition Depot unit and taken from a booklet written by Lt R G Hicks, who was its chief ordnance officer.
Mr Sabin said: “I have personal confirmation of these events, my father landed from Landing Craft Tank 297.”
Pat Edginton, of the Leamington branch of Royal British Legion and stalwart Poppy Appeal organiser, read The Exhortation.
Bugle player Ian Bode played The Last Post and Reveille in between a two-minute silence being observed.
A representative of the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire read Kohima before Father Christopher Wilson read a final prayer and wreaths were laid at the memorial.
Next, Mr Harrison read John McCrae’s 1915 war poem In Flanders Fields.
The service was concluded with a prayer of dedication and blessing by Father Christopher and the playing of the National Anthem.