The bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Arnhem will be commemorated at a special service on Thursday, 17 September, at the city's War Memorial.
The annual event will mark the 82nd anniversary of Operation Market Garden, a daring Allied attempt to seize a series of bridges in the Netherlands in September 1944. The battle was a pivotal moment in the war, and the British 1st Airborne Division suffered heavy losses.
In 2019, Colchester City Council established a bond of friendship with Renkum, the Dutch district including Oosterbeek, where soldiers landed and made their final stand. This connection underscores the shared history between Colchester and the British Army's airborne forces, with 16 Air Assault Brigade based at the city's Merville Barracks.
To honour this historic event, the Dutch flag and Pegasus, the emblem of airborne forces, will fly from Colchester Town Hall from 17 to 25 September, symbolising the nine days of intense fighting 82 years ago.
The service will include a reading from a soldier from 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team and a two-minute silence, followed by the reading of the Kohima Epitaph and the laying of wreaths. Local schoolchildren and cadets will lay sunflowers grown by Abberton Rural Training, mirroring the Dutch tradition of children placing flowers on graves during the main commemorative service at Oosterbeek War Cemetery.
The Reverend Tim Flowers, chaplain to the Military Corrective Training Centre, and the Mayor's Chaplain, Reverend Doctor Amanda Elmes, will lead prayers.
The Mayor of Colchester, Cllr Andrew Ellis, said: "The Battle of Arnhem remains one of the most poignant chapters of our shared history. It was an operation marked by extraordinary courage and sacrifice in the face of overwhelming odds.
"As we gather to remember those who fought and fell, we also celebrate the enduring friendship between Colchester and Renkum, a bond forged in the darkest days of war and strengthened through decades of peace.
"I invite everyone to join us in honouring the memory of these brave soldiers and ensuring their legacy continues to inspire future generations."
Lieutenant Colonel Ed Rankin, Commander of Colchester Garrison, said: "Operation Market Garden was a hugely ambitious, if ultimately unsuccessful, operation. The airborne soldiers who fought at Arnhem displayed determination, endurance, and selflessness in the face of overwhelming odds that set a standard for all those that have followed them.
“It is hugely important that in Colchester – the home of the British Army’s airborne forces – we come together to honour the bravery and sacrifice of all who fought at Arnhem and mark our shared links with the Netherlands.”