Airmen and soldiers past and present held a sombre memorial service today to mark the 70th anniversary of one of the largest Allied air operations of World War Two.

The event at Marks Hall, Coggeshall, was attended by survivors of Operation Varsity, which took place in the final months of the war.

Varsity began in the early morning of March 24, 1945 and involved 541 transport aircraft and 1,050 troop-carriers towing 1,350 gliders.

They flew from bases in France and England, including hundreds from airfields in Earls Colne and Gosfield.

Glider pilot David Brook, 91, originally from Colchester, lowered the regimental flag at the service.

Mr Brook was born in Colchester, where his family started G. Brooks and Sons auctioneers, and he was based at RAF Birch.

He said: “I remember it was a fine, pleasant, warm day. We had a four hour flight across the Rhine and into Germany.

“It was one of the biggest airborne operations the world had seen and the Germans were beaten on their own ground.

“The glider pilots fought with the soldiers that they carried across. When that was over I was flown back to England and that was the end of my war.

“I seem to lower the flag every time, it is an honour but I suppose I am one of the oldest ones and there are not many of us left.”

See this week's Braintree and Witham Times for more pictures of the ceremony and interviews with veterans of Operation Varsity.