A MEMORIAL service is set to be held to remember six Home Guard soldiers who died 75 years ago in a tragic war-time accident.

Gestingthorpe Church is hosting the service in memory of the tragedy at Rectory Farm in 1944.

Six members of the local Home Guard were killed when an exercise on how to deal with unexploded grenades went horribly wrong.

The ceremony will remember all those who served in the Home Guard in the area and will be supported by the local branch of the Royal British Legion.

The six victims of the accident were Capt John Scanlebury Philp, who was 41 and from Gestingthorpe, Sgt Thomas Augustus Firman, 45, from Sible Hedingham, Sgt Herbert John William Cousins, 33, from Sible Hedingham, Cpl Cyril Arthur Halls, 31, from Sible Hedingham, Cpl George Francis John Chambers, 29, of Pentlow and Cpl John Benjamin Partridge, 36, of Belchamp Walter.

Seventy-five years on, the families of the six servicemen will be remembering them together at the service in Gestingthorpe.

Malcolm Firman, 85, will be among those remembering his father, Sgt Thomas Augustus Firman, who was among the victims.

Mr Firman is the chairman of the Hedingham and District branch of the Royal British Legion and the proud owner of his father’s First World War medals which he wears on his right-hand side of his jacket.

He said: “It means a lot to me for them to put on this service.

“I’m pleased to think that they are not being forgotten because one of the biggest things of the British Legion is to remember.

“Dad is still in my thoughts and I still remember him after all of these years.

“There are several different explanations for the accident.

“I don’t think we will ever know now for certain what happened, but we must always remember them.”

The special service will be held on April 28 at 10am at Gestingthorpe church.

The organisers are inviting relatives of those who died to the service and would also like to hear from anyone who has relevant items which could be loaned for a display on the day.

Contact Rev Gay Ellis by email at vicar@stepbeyond.org.uk.