A WREATH was laid in Dorchester as part of a service to mark the 71st anniversary of the D-Day landings.

A crowd, including veterans, the mayor and mayoress of Dorchester, members of St John Ambulance, the Red Cross and residents, gathered at The Keep for a special commemoration.

Prayers, the Act of Remembrance and the Exhortation were all read in the service, which was led by local Minister Allen Knott.

Following a moment of silence for the fallen, a wreath of poppies was blessed before the president of the Dorchester British Legion, Les Cuff, placed it on a commemorative stone outside of the museum.

Revd.Knott said: “It’s a great privilege for me to be able to share with the diminishing number of veterans who came here today, aided by others who are keen to share with them, the events of that day- a day that words are really inadequate to describe.

“I hope they recall the pride that they had and that we had in them for what they did for us.

"They should be proud, not just of what they did on that day but the weeks and months that followed.

"Today we are right to honour them, and their families and their comrades who can’t be here because for them that day was the last day of their lives.”

Mayor of Dorchester Cllr Robin Potter said: “It’s important to remember these events and hope that we never have to go through them again.

“We want to remember that people sacrificed and people still sacrifice of all nationalities and regrettably people still feel the need to sacrifice life, the importance of the day is to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice."

Speaking to the Echo, Mr Cuff, 82, said that he and his brothers had served in the war. Mr Cuff was a qualified nurse back in 1950 before he joined the paramedic team. He said that today it was important for him to remember his brothers.

He added: “I can remember the day it all started, I was living in Wyke Regis, overlooking Portland Harbour-and we watched it all go off at around 10.50pm when the ships were leaving.”

Chairman of the Dorchester Royal Navy Association George Osborne, 93, said: “It’s something that has got to be remembered and I wish it would be more publicised because it was a great day and a lot of great men gave their lives so we could live in peace.”

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