As the nation falls silent five veterans will be making an unforgettable journey to mark 74 years since the end of the Second World War.

Steve Craddock from Chatham served as a Royal Engineer and will be in the plane that's dropping 750,000 poppies over the White Cliffs of Dover on Remembrance Sunday.

An original Second World War Dakota aircraft will carry the bio-degradable flowers into the sky and let them fall in a tribute to soldiers.

It will be flanked by two spitfires as it makes its journey across to the Battle of Britain memorial at Capel-le-Ferne, near Folkestone.

Kent-based Aero Legends has organised the special event, with all proceeds going to the annual Poppy Appeal.

A team of volunteers will ensure the poppies are cleared up after the ceremony.

Five veterans, including three former RAF servicemen, will signal the drop from onboard as the formation reaches the skies above the cliffs.

Mr Craddock, who served in the army for 15 years and went on six operational tours of peacekeeping duties in Northern Ireland will be on the flight.

He described his invitation to board as a Help for Heroes representative as an honour and a privilege.

"I think its an unbelievable commemoration and remembrance of those who gave everything for us all," he said.

"When we sit in that aeroplane I will be in the seat of a young paratrooper who may have died as he went out that plane, so they are going to be with us.

The Dakota being used is described as a veteran itself, with 40 bullet holes from previous battles.

It also operated as part of glider tours, dropping off troops who then crash landed and thought their way to the Battle Of Arnhem.

The former serviceman said the drop "will be like red snow".

"I think it will be a magnificent thing to see that coming down. Especially as that plan did fly to Arnhem. It will represent many of those lads that jumped out that day."

As an ex-soldier he says events like these with former servicemen are important because pretty soon those guys won't be left to "tell us first hand what happened".

He said: "I am so honoured, really honoured because I remember my mates who didn't come back but I just think its a wonderful wonderful tribute and something we should be all very proud of. That people are willing to do this at this point in history.

"Because remember there's not many of our veterans left and very soon like the first world war a few years ago it will go into history."

"None of us today can understand what that felt as you're being fired on and anti-aircraft guns going off and everything and then you are standing up and getting ready to jump out into that.

"I just hope people of think of that. This plane called Dragaboot and I hope people when they see that think of those airborne warriors."

Mr Craddock would usually be at The Cannon pub in Gillingham on this day at about 10am to raise a glass of port to "toast absent friends".

"This is the only thing that can take me away from that," he said.

"It's going to be something very special. It's something I will never ever forget."

"None of us today can understand what that felt as you're being fired on and anti-aircraft guns going off and everything and then you are standing up and getting ready to jump out into that.

"I just hope people of think of that. This plane called Drag 'Em Oot and I hope people when they see that think of those airborne warriors."

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