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New memorial for soldiers killed in D-Day training

Liz Saul
BBC News, South East
Liz Saul/BBC A crowd of people, including military personnel and local scout groups, standing around a drumhead made up of several military drums and flagsLiz Saul/BBC
A Drumhead ceremony took place at the seawall in Dymchurch

A new memorial plaque in Kent commemorates 22 soldiers who died during a D-Day training exercise.

The men from the 4th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry died when boxes of anti-tank grenades exploded at Dymchurch Beach on 29 May 1944.

About 300 people attended a drumhead memorial ceremony on Thursday, where the memorial was unveiled on the sea wall.

Attendees included military personnel, local scout groups and representatives from the Royal British Legion and Dymchurch Parish Council.

Liz Saul/BBC A large white plaque on top of a seawall, which details "A Tragic Military Accident" on 29th May 1944. The photo also shows part of the beach itself and metal railings Liz Saul/BBC
The memorial plaque on Dymchurch seawall commemorates 22 soldiers that died during a training exercise on the beach in 1944

The Reverend David Parrott, who led the memorial service, said: "What greater privilege can there be than to work with so many different age groups and all ing the same event":[]}