BRIDPORT’S rich maritime heritage will be celebrated with a special parade on Sunday.

Trafalgar Day commemorations take on an added significance for the town’s Royal Naval Association this year as they mark their 70th anniversary.

Amongst those proudly marching through the town will two of the earliest to join - Shipmate Eddie Warne, 86, and Shipmate Bob Collins, 83.

The branch was formed as the Royal Naval Old Comrades Association at a meeting in the Greyhound Hotel on September 2, 1938.

The Bridport News reported at the time that the town had “set an example to the west of England by forming a branch”.

The name was changed to the RNA when the much bigger organisation was formed in 1950 and it was granted a royal charter in 1954.

Today there are some 60 members – 34 full, including six WRNS – 17 associates, two life members, two honorary members and two affiliated from other branches.

Their average age is 76 and the sum of all the ages is 4,562.

Although no founder members survive Mr Warne, of Victoria Grove, is the longest serving, having joined in 1946. He served as a swordfish pilot operating from on an aircraft carrier which escorted convoys during the war. His role was to fly ahead of the ships to locate enemy vessels and submarines.

Mr Collins, of Alexandra Road, joined the group a year later. He enlisted with the Royal Navy as a sick berth attendant in 1943 and took part in the D-Day landings. Later he was sent to Colombo and then Calcutta where he served on a hospital ship until just after VJ Day when he was taken ill with TB and discharged from the Navy in 1948. He has been chairman of the branch on three occasions.

Sunday’s parade will muster in East Street near the town hall at around 2.30pm,. Led by St Swithun’s Silver Band it will include members of the RNA, the Royal British Legion, Burma Star Association and the Royal Air Forces Association.

Taking the salute in Bucky Doo Square will be Captain John Bench RN, Bridport Mayor Martin Ray and Shipmate David White. This will be followed by a service at St Mary’s Parish Church, Afterwards a 70th birthday cake will be cut during a buffet at the church hall.