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‘Step Short’ is the command given to marchers when they are at the top of a hill as reducing the length of pace helps them keep their balance and speed.

Folkestone Harbour was considered safer than Dover for troops to embark as it was outside the range of guns from the continent and millions of men came by train or marched to Folkestone on their way to the front.

Their route to the harbour was along what is now called the Road of Remembrance which is a steep hill. Here they would have been told to ‘Step Short’.

The procession included service veterans, the air cadet band, the Folkestone pipe band, serving soldiers, the Lord Warden and Admiral of the Cinque Ports, Admiral the Lord Boyce, the Mayor of Folkestone, Janet Andrews and Chairman of Shepway District council, Cllr Susan Carey.

Step Short plans to hold many more events leading up to the centenary of the First World war in 2014 to commemorate Folkestone’s special place in history.