Blue plaque celebrates reservoir's role in WW2

Installing a blue plaque at a reservoir would help people to learn about the crucial role it played in World War Two, a tourist board said.

Abberton Reservoir was used by the Dambusters to practise runs for their bombings of German dams in the Ruhr in 1943.

A ceremony was held at the 1,700-acre (700ha) site, near Colchester, Essex, on Monday to mark the arrival of the plaque, which is due to be installed on the causeway.

Mark Durham, the chairman of Visit Essex, said: "To recognise Abberton as a historically significant location is really important."

Hundreds of nominations were made in a county-wide poll to decide which person or place should receive a plaque on Essex Day in October.

"When we went through them, we recognised the importance Abberton played during the last war," said Durham, also a Conservative Essex county councillor.

The globally important wetland site was used by the RAF's No.617 Squadron due to its likeness to dams targeted for bombing in Germany.

"That's something I certainly didn't know about before," Durham added.

"It's also really important to recognise the fact this was a wartime operation and that eight aircraft didn't come back and 53 airmen lost their lives, as well as the people [killed] on the ground," he said.

The wetland site is important for its breeding cormorants, wintering and moulting waterfowl and migrating birds.

It beat competition from other Essex attractions such as Clacton Pier and the "Hi-de-Hi!" camp in Dovercourt, as well as votes for Boudicca.

Lisa Bone, from Visit Essex, said: "It really does showcase that there's so much history and heritage in Essex and places to be celebrated."

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