Linda Corpse often used to go and visit the war memorial with her husband and three young daughters and tell them what a brave man their grandfather was.

William Corpse, a navy chief coxswain, died at the age of 35 when he was stabbed with a bayonet in the Second World War while in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp.

But now thieves have stolen four of the 113 bronze plaques from the memorial in Plymouth to sell for scrap metal.

The news comes after lead roof tiles, copper cabling, roadsigns and even metal playground slides were stolen in our area over recent weeks.

Mrs Corpse, of Peel Common, Rowner, Gosport, said that her husband, Ronald, who died last year aged 79, would have been devastated.

'If Ron was still here this would have just about broken him,' she said.

'He always felt so proud going to look at the plaque and I just don't think he would believe someone could do such a thing.

'I think the people who stole it are just terrible, it's disgusting and they have ruined the memories of those who died for our country just to line their pockets.'

One of the 3ft square plaques was prised off the memorial at Plymouth Hoe, Devon, between Sunday night and Monday morning, just hours after National Veterans Day celebrations took place in the city.

Then the thieves returned 24 hours later and stole another three.

The stolen plaques were inscribed with a list of more than 400 sailors and Royal Marines who lost their lives defending Britain in the two world wars.

Police believe the thieves will sell the plaques for scrap on the lucrative market.