Thousands of people will head to Walmer Green on Sunday to pay respects to the 11 Royal Marines musicians killed 26 years ago.

Crowds will gather from as early as 8am to get the best places for the concert by the Band of HM Royal Marines Portsmouth, conducted by Lt Col Nick Grace and director of music Capt Daryl Powell. It will start at 2pm.

The chairman of the Deal Memorial Bandstand Trust, John Perkins, said: “The Royal Marines Band Service continues to be as busy as ever at home and abroad, and we greatly appreciate Lt Col Nick Grace for making it a priority to come to Deal to perform this concert and to rededicate the bandstand.

“The aim of the concerts at the bandstand is to keep alive the memory of the 11 Royal Marines musicians who were murdered by the IRA in September 1989.

“The devastating loss to the families never goes away and on Sunday, 26 years on, we remember our fallen comrades in the Service of Rededication and celebrate their gift of music in a rousing concert.”

The last 12 months has been exceptionally busy for the whole Royal Marines Band Service, with much of the focus on their 350th anniversary that incorporated public duties at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Holyrood.

Lt Col Grace said: “Our concert will demonstrate a mixture of music that will appeal to all tastes.

“Overtures, solos, marches, film music, big band numbers and commemorating anniversaries from both world wars are the focus this year.

“Not forgetting the most important element of the day, which is the commemoration of those that lost their lives as a consequence of the bombing in 1989 and the rededication of the memorial bandstand.”

Once again, the Mercury has produced the 24-page concert programme, which will be sold during the day for £2.

Proceeds go to the memorial bandstand trust to maintain the structure.