THE sacrifice of the brave soldiers who took part in the D-Day landings will be honoured at a service in Colchester.

Thursday, June 6, marks 75 years since the Allied invasion of Normandy to liberate Nazi-occupied Europe.

To mark the anniversary a special service will be held at Colchester’s war memorial.

Dignitaries including the new mayor of Colchester, Nick Cope, the Lord Lieutenant of Essex Jennifer Tolhurst and Lieutenant Colonel Steve Caldwell, Commander of Colchester Garrison, will join members of the Royal British Legion and the public to lay wreaths at the memorial.

Commemorations begin at 12.15pm in Holly Trees Garden, when the mayor will unveil the Pegasus flower bed display.

The floral homage pays tribute to the airborne soldiers who wore the Pegasus flash on D-Day and throughout the Normandy Campaign.

It is also in recognition of Colchester-based 16 Air Assault Brigade who continue to wear the Pegasus flash.

A bugler from the Band of the Royal Anglian Regiment will play The Last Post and Reveille. A two-minute silence will be followed by the laying of wreaths.

Mr Cope said: “I would like to invite members of the public to join me on this 75th anniversary and pay tribute to those who took part in the D-Day invasion and the battles that followed.

“We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to those whose sacrifice and bravery during the Normandy Campaign helped defeat the Nazis and secure freedom in Europe.

“Their immense and heroic endeavour brought the end of the Second World War within reach.”

Lieutenant Colonel Caldwell added: “For the soldiers of Colchester Garrison, as the home of the British Army’s airborne forces, we pay particular tribute to the men of 6th Airborne Division who landed by parachute or glider and are conscious we shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the high standards they set.”

The allied assault on 6 June 1944 was the largest amphibious operation in history and marked the start of an 80-day campaign to liberate Normandy. Around 10,500 Allied troops were killed, wounded or reported missing on the first day. Three million troops were involved and 250,000 lost their lives by the end of the Battle for Normandy.