Haslemere paused to remember its wartime heroes this VE Day, as residents gathered to honour those who fought – and fell – in the struggle against tyranny 80 years ago.

Amid bunting and brass bands, a solemn moment came as wreaths were laid at the town’s war memorial and tributes paid to the fallen.

“It is very important that we remember all those who have given, and continue to give, their lives in service,” said MP Greg Stafford.

Town mayor Cllr Olly Leach added: “I am proud to be part of remembering all those who fought hard to give us the freedom we have today.”

The event formed part of nationwide commemorations marking 80 years since VE Day – May 8, 1945 – when Nazi Germany’s surrender brought the war in Europe to an end.

For one Haslemere soldier, VE Day marked the end of a very different ordeal. Private Jack Denyer, of the Queen’s Royal Regiment, was captured in 1940 and spent most of the war in a Polish prisoner-of-war camp. In early 1945, as Soviet forces advanced, he was forced on the infamous Lamsdorf Long March – a brutal 600km trek across frozen Europe. He survived. Many others did not.

Haslemere’s role in the war went far beyond the front line. During the Blitz, it welcomed evacuees. In nearby Hindhead, Marchant’s Hill Camp School became a haven for London children – until tragedy struck.

On December 4, 1943, evacuees stumbled upon a live mortar shell from a nearby Canadian Army barracks. The explosion that followed killed three boys – Peter Sidey, 11, was buried in Farnham, Alistair McLellan, 12, in Haslemere. Their names appear in official war records as civilian casualties of the Second World War.

Today, Haslemere’s war memorial and annual services ensure these sacrifices – both on the front line and at home – are never forgotten.