A service of remembrance will be held on Sunday for the people who lost their lives during a devastating German bombing raid on Ashford 70 years ago.

On March 24, 1943, a force made up of 15 elite German pilots bombed the town, resulting in the single biggest loss of life in Ashford during the war.

Fifty people were killed, with 76 more badly wounded and a further 78 suffering ‘lesser wounds’.

The Mayor of Ashford, Cllr Bob Davidson, will lay a bouquet in memory of the victims at 10am on Sunday, March 24 – the time the first bomb was dropped 70 years ago – in Ashford’s Memorial Gardens.

Two pupils from Highworth School will read out the names of the victims who are remembered on a memorial in the garden.

Other children will create a jigsaw display of the event and a specially written piece of music will be performed by the school’s jazz band.

The piece was written by music director Colin Welch in collaboration with the school’s history department and tells the story of the attack by the German fighter-bombers on the town’s railway works.

Mr Welch said: “The raid is not something too many people know a lot about. It was really extraordinary. At that time, the Germans had a really effective fighter bomber force, which was harassing the whole of south east England.”

The Royal British Legion will also be present at the service, which is expected to last for about 30 minutes.

The full story of the bombings can be found in our supplement The Day Ashford Was Bombed, free inside the Kentish Express - on sale now.