Salcombe’s Civic Dinner was hosted by the Town Council to thank Salcombe’s community groups and volunteers, a chance to catch-up and remember the brave British and U.S. servicemen who served together in Salcombe during the Second World War, honouring the sacrifice of those who did not make it home and the service of our armed forces and allies.

The event marked the 80th anniversary of the Thanksgiving Dinner held on the very same date in 1944, with the same menu at the same place – the Assembly Hall at Cliff House. The U.S. Navy Commander wrote on his menu at the 1944 Dinner “I guess I didn’t miss out on anything they had at home but some of the others weren’t as fortunate.”

The original menu offered roast Tom turkey, giblet gravy, raisin dressing, cranberry sauce, mashed sweet potatoes and buttered peas for the main course.

The pudding was apple pie, ice cream cheese, candy, fresh oranges, coffee, bread and butter and cigarettes!

Salcombe Mayor Mark Goodey awarded Citizen of the Year to Roger Barrett, Chair of Salcombe Maritime Museum. Roger Barrett said “It is a great honour to receive the award both for myself and for our wonderful crew of volunteers at Salcombe Maritime Museum.

“This year the Museum has been celebrating its 50th anniversary and it is thanks to the collective effort of numerous volunteers over all those years that the Museum continues to thrive today. “That it has survived so long is also thanks to the support we've received from other local organisations including our landlords the Town Council.

“Our current mission is to reach out to the local community, not just to visitors to the town, so that local people, particularly children, are aware of and can take pride in the town’s incredibly rich historic heritage”.