A special service is to be held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Imber being evacuated of its inhabitants in November 1943 prior to the D-Day landings in France the following year.

The Churches Conservation Trust is planning to commemorate the event following the annual Service of Remembrance at St Giles Church on Salisbury Plain on Saturday, November 11.

Neil Skelton, custodian of St Giles Church, said: “Imber village was evacuated in November 1943 and this year is its 80th anniversary. 

“We are planning to hold a commemoration of the evacuation all those years ago and to plant a tree in the churchyard. It will be a fairly low-key affair.”

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: Neil Skelton, a custodian of St Giles Church, enjoyed a much quieter day on the Saturday of the August Bank Holiday compared with the previous Imberbus event where a fleet of old London red buses ferried around 10,00 visitors to the 'lost' village. Photo: Trevor Porter 70106-10Neil Skelton, a custodian of St Giles Church, enjoyed a much quieter day on the Saturday of the August Bank Holiday compared with the previous Imberbus event where a fleet of old London red buses ferried around 10,00 visitors to the 'lost' village. Photo: Trevor Porter 70106-10 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Mr Skelton said the open days over the August Bank Holiday weekend were "much quieter" than the Imberbus open day on August 19 when around 10,000 visitors descended on the village.

Many of the 2,000 visitors over the four days toured the historic 13th century St Giles Church and the deserted houses and cottages that residents left behind when they were forced to leave the village.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: Preservation and conservation: Christopher Beese and botanist Penny Lee clear overgrown grass in the Old Baptist Chapel churchyard. Photo: Trevor Porter 70106-7Preservation and conservation: Christopher Beese and botanist Penny Lee clear overgrown grass in the Old Baptist Chapel churchyard. Photo: Trevor Porter 70106-7 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Among them were Colin Beese, the former chair of the Salisbury Plain Conservation Group, and botanist Penny Lee, who were helping to clear the overgrown burial area at the old Baptist Chapel.

“The grass in the church and the chapel is cut once a year and we were up there recording species,” said Penny, who is a regular visitor to Imber when the military allow access.

Another visitor was Linda Gates, a keen photographer from Andover, who said: “I just went up to take some photographs. I was looking for something different.”

“I went up on the Imberbus open day last Saturday but it was really busy so I decided to come again. I went up relatively early and it was quite pleasant to wander around without the crowds.”

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: Linda Gates visited during the Imberbus event but never had a chance to look at St Giles Church because of the long queues. Photo: Trevor Porter 70106-15Linda Gates visited during the Imberbus event but never had a chance to look at St Giles Church because of the long queues. Photo: Trevor Porter 70106-15 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Monika Thomas visited Imber with her son Michal, aged 10, and took a close look at some of the gravestones in the St Giles Churchyard.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: Monika Thomas with her 10 year old son Michal take a closer look at the gravestones in the old Baptist Chapel churchyard at Imber. Photo: Trevor Porter 70106-9Monika Thomas with her 10 year old son Michal take a closer look at the gravestones in the old Baptist Chapel churchyard at Imber. Photo: Trevor Porter 70106-9 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Imber was completely evacuated 80 years ago when the Ministry of Defence took over the village to train American troops in house-to-house combat techniques prior to the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944.

After the Second World War ended, villagers had hoped to be allowed to return to their homes, but the MoD decided to retain Imber for military training and it has been deserted ever since.