A memorial service was held at Lepe Country Park on Sunday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

Following a beacon lighting ceremony at the park on Thursday, members of the community paid their respects at the Anchor War Memorial, overlooking Lepe beach, an embarkation point for thousands of troops and vehicles 80 years ago.

The Royal British Legion lined the cliff top bearing flags for the event with members of the Hampshire Caledonian Pipe Band providing the parade soundtrack.

Sir Julian Lewis – former Chair of the Defence Select Committee, and New Forest East MP – opened the service, before a talk from Rev Ian McGill lead prayers and hymns from those in attendance.

The ceremony ended with The Last Post and laying of wreaths from the organisations – including Solent Rescue – and special guests in attendance.

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(Image: Matt Davey)

Speaking after the ceremony, Rev. Ian McGill told the Echo: “We weren’t really sure how many people were going to turn up and we were praying the weather was going to be okay.

“There was a beacon lighting ceremony here on Thursday and it was really lovely and there was lots of people and it’s been echoed today, across varying generations of people.

“There’s been lots of representatives from different organisations, government, local council and British Legion.”

He added: “The people that organised this at the D-Day Heritage Centre put a lot of work into this, and you can see it really matters.

(Image: Matt Davey)

“It matters for generations that continue to follow to honour those who took part in D-Day and the Second World War as a whole and remember them.”

Following the conclusion of the ceremony, members of the public were invited to attend a D-Day Heritage Exhibition across the road.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Lewis said: “It’s hard to know what to say, that hasn’t already been said in the last few days in various different locations but there is one aspect of the D-Day success which has not been much alluded to at all, and that is the fact that it was never inevitable that it would be a success.

“We have to ask ourselves what might have happened had it not been a success – they are all heroes.”