The Exercise Tiger memorial cairn has been unveiled by Anthony Mangnall MP and Dartmouth Mayor Cllr David Wells at Strete Gate car park .

The memorial marks the death of 110 US troops who died on Slapton Sands when a D-Day training exercise went tragically wrong in April 1944.

The disaster can be put down to altered timings, bad communications, the use of live ammunition and bombardment from a cruiser and destroyers offshore.

It is the first memorial to those 110 who died just a day before a bigger tragedy off Portland the following night, in which 639 servicemen lost their lives.

The project has been a labour of love for Teddy Cranmer who has spent four years researching the story.

Unfortunately Teddy was unable to attend the unveiling as he had been re-admitted to hospital but he was represented by his wife Hilary.

Anthony Mangnall MP said: “It’s a commemoration today of those who lost their lives in a friendly firing exercise on Slapton Sands 80 years ago

“One man, Teddy Cranmer, who can’t be here because he’s ill has done remarkable work in pulling together a monument that is going to stand the test of time and remember those remarkable soldiers who went out to protect our freedoms.”

The US troops made their first Tiger landing at 6.30am in the morning of April 27 1944, coming ashore in Landing Ship, Tanks (LST’s) and Higgins boats on Red Beach around the middle and the end of the Ley near Strete Gate.

The troops were practicing for the D-Day landings that eventually took place on June 6 1944.

Mayor of Dartmouth Cllr David Well said: “I think we need to remember action.

“There are a lot of wars going on at the moment with Gaza, the Ukraine, Yemen and we must remember what war did to Europe.

“What we’re trying to get everyone to remember is about remembering what happened and say we don’t want this to happen again.

“If we can keep telling our youngsters the history within schools, within our communities, I think people will remember.”