TOMORROW will see the traditional opening of the Thurrock remembrance commemorations with a service at the war memorial St Stephen's Church, Purfleet-on-Thames.

This year the event (on Sunday, 7 November) will be extra special as it will see the official unveiling of the new memorial silhouettes at the Purfleet Military and Heritage Centre.

Previous silhouettes were destroyed by vandals but the local community and the generosity of a steel firm has meant they will be replaced with a new memorial.

In 2018 Purfleet took part in the national centenary commemorations for the end of Word War I and as part of the event Battle's Over.

As part of the event a number of silhouettes were made and exhibited on the communal green.

They proved popular and the 26 silhouettes that represented the local soldiers were put on display outside the Heritage Centre.

In May last year most of the silhouettes were vandalised and destroyed an act that created a lot of media and press interest.

As a result offers of help came in from individuals and companies to replace them. ACS Stainless Steel Ltd of Leeds, a family run business offered to make and install replacement silhouettes in 8mm carbon steel.

Their offer was accepted, planning permission obtain and finally after the delays from Covid they will be unveiled tomorrow.

Residents are invited to meet at Purfleet Heritage & Military Centre, Centurion Way, Purfleet-on-Thames. RM19 1ZZ at 10am. At 10.20am a procession will make its way to the War Memorial at St Stephen's Church in London Road which is a few hundred yards away.

If you would like a ride to the memorial service, Ensign Bus will have two of their Vintage buses on hand. There will be a service, laying of wreaths followed by the Last Post.

After the service everyone is invited back to the Heritage Centre, where tea and coffee are available.

At midday there will be an unveiling of the new 26 silhouettes. Each one represents a soldier from Purfleet who died during the First World War. They are sited on top of the embankment at the back of the Heritage Centre car park overlooking the river.

Any uniformed groups and standard bearers will be welcome.