THIS group of children will have the privilege of being the only British scouts to take part in the world’s largest one-day marching-event this weekend.

Tomorrow (Friday) the seven youngsters from the 31st Gravesend Scout Group will be travelling to the village of Oosterbeek in The Netherlands, to play a part in the Airborne March - in remembrance of the Battle of Arnhem and Operation Market Garden of September 1944.

The remembrance marches of 10, 15, 25 and 40km, which are held every year on the first Saturday in September draw together participants from 15 different countries including United Kingdom, Denmark, Poland, Germany, Belgium, Canada, and South Africa.

Assistant scout leader David May, 44, is thrilled the children will be taking part in the 62nd Airborne March along with 30,000 other people.

He said: “It’s a brilliant opportunity. It helps them a lot in understanding about historical events. There’s going to be so many people there. It is just fantastic.”

The routes of the marches are laid out through the several villages of Renkum in the Netherlands, along the battlefields and drop zones of the operation Market Garden of September 1944.

The children will be marching alongside thousands of other people including British and Polish military veterans and at least 15 Dutch scout groups - to the music of 30 bands from all over Holland.

The group which meet in Hampton Crescent, Gravesend, has also invited along a scout from Northfleet, one from Bexley and a few others from Lower Halstow in Sittingbourne to accompany them on the 10km march.

Together they have been working hard to raise funds for their trip and have also designed T-shirts and a unique scarf to wear out there.

Mr May who is also taking along three of his children, added: “They did some bag packing at a supermarket and they raised £855. We have had special scarves made up which they designed. I would also like to thank scout leader Jo Raff who has sorted out all the T-shirts.”

For more information on the Airborne March visit www.airbornewandeltocht.nl/en/