The chairman of Ivybridge Royal British Legion is concerned that nothing is being done to repair the town’s war memorial in Fore Street.

The War Memorial was first built in 1922 in memory of local people who died in the First World War.

It was given a Grade II listing.

Dermot Roberts said: “The war memorial was severely damaged by an articulated lorry.

“This is a very special year with events connected to the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June and it is essential it is repaired so we can carry out services.

“We have tried several times to contact South Hams District Council to arrange to speak to them but it hasn’t happened.

“We fear that they think it will be good enough to only get it fixed in time for the Remembrance events in November.”

The D-Day commemorations are especially important here in the South Hams given the Operation Tiger rehearsals centred on Slapton.

Unprecedented coordination between Allied nations, and the intensive planning of engineers, meteorologists, logisticians and countless more, led to a force from 13 countries approaching Normandy in a 5000-vessel armada.

In the early hours of D-Day, 24,000 paratroopers and glider-borne troops landed behind German lines to provide tactical support.

Massive naval and aerial bombardments attempted to suppress the German defences and weaponry. Then a ground force of more than 130,000 troops came ashore on five beaches across a 50-mile stretch of Normandy coast, with the first waves often facing intact defences. By the end of D-Day there had been 10,000 Allied casualties.

Yet this was only the beginning.

The ensuing Battle of Normandy was to last into August and cost tens of thousands of lives as it defeated and repulsed the occupying German forces eastwards.

Ivybridge Mayor Cllr Alan Spencer said: “Following an unfortunate incident when the war memorial was recently damaged, South Hams District Council are now following due process to ensure that the war memorial is repaired to an appropriate standard.

“We look forward to seeing this important monument returned to its former condition in due course”

The Royal British Legion is the UK’s leading Armed Forces charity and one of its largest membership organisations.

The Ivybridge Branch meetings normally take place on the first Wednesday of the month at the Constitutional Club.

Next meeting will be Wednesday, April 3, from 7pm for 7.30pm start.

You don’t have to be a member to go.

If you have an interest in the objectives of the Legion and want to help and support those who have served and their families, it welcomes men and women of all ages, whether they have served in the Armed Forces or not.

We contacted South Hams District Council for a comment and at the time of deadline await its response.

For more information about the RBL Ivybridge branch you can e-mail: [email protected]