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A love letter from two Second World War veterans to the EU has been beamed on to the White Cliffs of Dover hours before Brexit.

The Kent landmark was lit up early on Friday by the faces of Stephen Goodall and Sidney "Sid" Daw, who lamented the UK's imminent departure from the Union in an emotional video.

The message was projected on the same stretch of coastline that provided a welcoming sight for soldiers returning from Dunkirk in 1940.

After the touching words from the two veterans, the video ends with the stars on the EU flag slowly disappearing.

With just one star remaining, the line reads: "This is our star. Look after it for us."

The video was the brainchild of Led By Donkeys, a group of four activist fathers famed for their giant billboards of politicians' tweets.

In the tribute - also translated into French and German - Mr Goodall spoke of his sadness about Brexit.

Brexit: UK's relationship with Europe - In pictures 44 show all Brexit: UK's relationship with Europe - In pictures 1/44 1975 Margaret Thatcher, sporting a jumper bearing the flags of European nations, in Parliament Square during her 'Yes to Europe' campaign PA 2/44 2016 Boris Johnson speaks at the launch of the Vote Leave campaign, in Truro, on May 11, 2016 Reuters 3/44 2020 Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage holds up a small Union Jack flag following a vote on the ratification of the Brexit deal during a European Parliament plenary session in Brussels on January 29, 2020 AFP via Getty Images 4/44 1962 French President General Charles de Gaulle gives a televised speech on New Year's Eve 1962 AFP/Getty Images 5/44 1973 A 50p coin introduced in 1973 to mark Britain's entry into the European Economic Community (EEC) 6/44 1972 Marie-Louise Kwiatkowski throws ink over Edward Heath in Brussels as he prepares to sign the Treaty of Accession Popperfoto/Getty Images 7/44 1973 Gertrude Shilling's Royal Ascot 'Common Market' outfit which was designed by her milliner son David Getty Images 8/44 1988 Jacques Delors, President of the European Comission, addresses the Trade Union Congress in Bournemouth to pose the idea of a wider European concept PA 9/44 1989 Margaret Thatcher greets French European Commission President Jacques Delors, months after she vowed to oppose “a European superstate exercising a new dominance from Brussels" AFP via Getty Images 10/44 2001 Greengrocer Steve Thoburn sells fruit and vegetables in pounds and ounces rather than kilos and grams, in protest at the EU's official weights and measurement system Reuters 11/44 1998 European Monetary Affairs Commissioner Yves-Thibault de Silguy and President of the European Commission Jacques Santer mark the minting of the first euro coin Reuters 12/44 2002 Ray Egan, a retired policeman from Harborne, Birmingham, wears a traditional John Bull outfit as he burns an imitation Euro bank note outside the Bank of England to stress his desire to keep the pound as Britain's currency PA 13/44 February 2016 David Cameron announces the date of the EU referendum outside 10 Downing Street PA 14/44 May 2016 Boris Johnson, surrounded by Vote Leave and Vote Remain activists, speaks in Winchester as part of his Vote Leave campaign tour in the run up to the EU referendum PA 15/44 June 2016 Nigel Farage launches a referendum poster campaign in Smith Square, London PA 16/44 June 2016 Michael Gove and Boris Johnson (right) on the Vote Leave campaign bus PA 17/44 June 2016 A boat forming part of a Fishing for Leave pro-Brexit flotilla makes its way along the River Thames PA 18/44 June 2016 Kate Hoey and Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, show their support for the 'Leave' campaign aboard a boat on the River Thames Getty Images 19/44 June 2016 Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn adjusts his microphone as he addresses members of the shadow cabinet on the EU referendum at the TUC Congress Centre, London PA 20/44 June 2016 A boat carrying Remain supporters including Singer, Bob Geldoff shout and wave at Brexit fishing boats as they sail up the river Thames AFP/Getty Images 21/44 June 2016 Former prime ministers Sir John Major (left) and Tony Blair at a Remain campaign event at the University of Ulster in Londonderry PA 22/44 June 24, 2016 Pro-Eu "Stronger In" campaign supporters react after hearing the results of the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA 23/44 June 24, 2016 Nigel Farage at the Leave EU party in London, where he celebrated the referendum result PA 24/44 July 2016 David Cameron, with wife Samantha and children Nancy, 12, Elwen, 10, and Florence, 5, hug outside 10 Downing Street as he announces his resignation as Prime Minister PA 25/44 November 2016 Nigel Farage becomes the first British politician to meet Donald Trump following his victory in the US election 26/44 November 2016 Investment manager Gina Miller speaks after the High Court decides that the Prime Minister cannot trigger Brexit without parliamentary approval at The Royal Courts Of Justice Getty Images 27/44 March 2017 Britain's Ambassador to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow hand-delivers Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit letter in notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to EU Council President Donald Tusk PA 28/44 May 2017 A Banksy artwork painted on a former amusement arcade near Dover's busy ferry terminal shows an EU flag with a workman chipping away one of the stars PA 29/44 June 2017 Theresa May listens as the results of the 2017 general election are declared AP 30/44 October 2017 Theresa May takes a seat as she arrives for a bilateral meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk during an EU summit in Brussels AFP/Getty Images 31/44 June 2018 Theresa May meeting with Donald Tusk inside No 10 Downing Street during bilateral talks PA 32/44 September 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May arrives for a European Union leaders' summit in Salzburg, Austria Reuters 33/44 April 2019 Theresa May arrives at the European Council in Brussels to discuss Brexit with European Union leaders PA 34/44 May 2019 Theresa May announces her resignation as PM in an emotional statement outside 10 Downing Street on May 24 Getty Images 35/44 March 2019 Brexit Demonstrators come head-to-head in Westminster Jeremy Selwyn 36/44 September 2019 Demonstrators remonstrate with police officers on Parliament Square, during an anti-government protests calling for the Prime Minister's resignation, near Whitehall and Downing Street AFP/Getty Images 37/44 October 2019 Anti-Brexit protesters in Parliament Square, London, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers a statement in the House of Commons on his new Brexit deal PA 38/44 December 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson is greeted by staff as he arrives back at 10 Downing Street, after the Conservative Party swept to an overall majority in the General Election PA 39/44 December 31, 2019 The London Eye lit up with the colours of the European Unionduring the New Year celebrations PA 40/44 January 2020 Anti-Brexit protestor Steve Bray attempts to appear in shot behind a television crew on Abingdon Green, outside the Houses of Parliament PA 41/44 January 2020 Britain's MEP Richard Corbett holds a banner after a vote on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill at the European Parliament in Brussels Reuters 42/44 January 2020 Sir Tim Barrow, UK Permanent Representative to the EU, left, delivers the Instruments of Ratification to European Council Secretary General Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen, at the Europa building in Brussels AP 43/44 January 2020 Coins are checked from storage bins after pressing at the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Pontyclun, Wales, during production of the new 50p Brexit coin, which bears the inscription 'Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations' and the date the UK leaves the EU. Around 3 million Brexit coins will enter banks, Post Offices and shops nationwide from Friday 31 January, with a further 7 million entering circulation later this year PA 44/44 January Mike Pompeo is welcomed by Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson as the two countries prepare to forge a new trade deal Getty Images 1/44 1975 Margaret Thatcher, sporting a jumper bearing the flags of European nations, in Parliament Square during her 'Yes to Europe' campaign PA 2/44 2016 Boris Johnson speaks at the launch of the Vote Leave campaign, in Truro, on May 11, 2016 Reuters 3/44 2020 Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage holds up a small Union Jack flag following a vote on the ratification of the Brexit deal during a European Parliament plenary session in Brussels on January 29, 2020 AFP via Getty Images 4/44 1962 French President General Charles de Gaulle gives a televised speech on New Year's Eve 1962 AFP/Getty Images 5/44 1973 A 50p coin introduced in 1973 to mark Britain's entry into the European Economic Community (EEC) 6/44 1972 Marie-Louise Kwiatkowski throws ink over Edward Heath in Brussels as he prepares to sign the Treaty of Accession Popperfoto/Getty Images 7/44 1973 Gertrude Shilling's Royal Ascot 'Common Market' outfit which was designed by her milliner son David Getty Images 8/44 1988 Jacques Delors, President of the European Comission, addresses the Trade Union Congress in Bournemouth to pose the idea of a wider European concept PA 9/44 1989 Margaret Thatcher greets French European Commission President Jacques Delors, months after she vowed to oppose “a European superstate exercising a new dominance from Brussels" AFP via Getty Images 10/44 2001 Greengrocer Steve Thoburn sells fruit and vegetables in pounds and ounces rather than kilos and grams, in protest at the EU's official weights and measurement system Reuters 11/44 1998 European Monetary Affairs Commissioner Yves-Thibault de Silguy and President of the European Commission Jacques Santer mark the minting of the first euro coin Reuters 12/44 2002 Ray Egan, a retired policeman from Harborne, Birmingham, wears a traditional John Bull outfit as he burns an imitation Euro bank note outside the Bank of England to stress his desire to keep the pound as Britain's currency PA 13/44 February 2016 David Cameron announces the date of the EU referendum outside 10 Downing Street PA 14/44 May 2016 Boris Johnson, surrounded by Vote Leave and Vote Remain activists, speaks in Winchester as part of his Vote Leave campaign tour in the run up to the EU referendum PA 15/44 June 2016 Nigel Farage launches a referendum poster campaign in Smith Square, London PA 16/44 June 2016 Michael Gove and Boris Johnson (right) on the Vote Leave campaign bus PA 17/44 June 2016 A boat forming part of a Fishing for Leave pro-Brexit flotilla makes its way along the River Thames PA 18/44 June 2016 Kate Hoey and Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, show their support for the 'Leave' campaign aboard a boat on the River Thames Getty Images 19/44 June 2016 Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn adjusts his microphone as he addresses members of the shadow cabinet on the EU referendum at the TUC Congress Centre, London PA 20/44 June 2016 A boat carrying Remain supporters including Singer, Bob Geldoff shout and wave at Brexit fishing boats as they sail up the river Thames AFP/Getty Images 21/44 June 2016 Former prime ministers Sir John Major (left) and Tony Blair at a Remain campaign event at the University of Ulster in Londonderry PA 22/44 June 24, 2016 Pro-Eu "Stronger In" campaign supporters react after hearing the results of the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA 23/44 June 24, 2016 Nigel Farage at the Leave EU party in London, where he celebrated the referendum result PA 24/44 July 2016 David Cameron, with wife Samantha and children Nancy, 12, Elwen, 10, and Florence, 5, hug outside 10 Downing Street as he announces his resignation as Prime Minister PA 25/44 November 2016 Nigel Farage becomes the first British politician to meet Donald Trump following his victory in the US election 26/44 November 2016 Investment manager Gina Miller speaks after the High Court decides that the Prime Minister cannot trigger Brexit without parliamentary approval at The Royal Courts Of Justice Getty Images 27/44 March 2017 Britain's Ambassador to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow hand-delivers Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit letter in notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to EU Council President Donald Tusk PA 28/44 May 2017 A Banksy artwork painted on a former amusement arcade near Dover's busy ferry terminal shows an EU flag with a workman chipping away one of the stars PA 29/44 June 2017 Theresa May listens as the results of the 2017 general election are declared AP 30/44 October 2017 Theresa May takes a seat as she arrives for a bilateral meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk during an EU summit in Brussels AFP/Getty Images 31/44 June 2018 Theresa May meeting with Donald Tusk inside No 10 Downing Street during bilateral talks PA 32/44 September 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May arrives for a European Union leaders' summit in Salzburg, Austria Reuters 33/44 April 2019 Theresa May arrives at the European Council in Brussels to discuss Brexit with European Union leaders PA 34/44 May 2019 Theresa May announces her resignation as PM in an emotional statement outside 10 Downing Street on May 24 Getty Images 35/44 March 2019 Brexit Demonstrators come head-to-head in Westminster Jeremy Selwyn 36/44 September 2019 Demonstrators remonstrate with police officers on Parliament Square, during an anti-government protests calling for the Prime Minister's resignation, near Whitehall and Downing Street AFP/Getty Images 37/44 October 2019 Anti-Brexit protesters in Parliament Square, London, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers a statement in the House of Commons on his new Brexit deal PA 38/44 December 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson is greeted by staff as he arrives back at 10 Downing Street, after the Conservative Party swept to an overall majority in the General Election PA 39/44 December 31, 2019 The London Eye lit up with the colours of the European Unionduring the New Year celebrations PA 40/44 January 2020 Anti-Brexit protestor Steve Bray attempts to appear in shot behind a television crew on Abingdon Green, outside the Houses of Parliament PA 41/44 January 2020 Britain's MEP Richard Corbett holds a banner after a vote on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill at the European Parliament in Brussels Reuters 42/44 January 2020 Sir Tim Barrow, UK Permanent Representative to the EU, left, delivers the Instruments of Ratification to European Council Secretary General Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen, at the Europa building in Brussels AP 43/44 January 2020 Coins are checked from storage bins after pressing at the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Pontyclun, Wales, during production of the new 50p Brexit coin, which bears the inscription 'Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations' and the date the UK leaves the EU. Around 3 million Brexit coins will enter banks, Post Offices and shops nationwide from Friday 31 January, with a further 7 million entering circulation later this year PA 44/44 January Mike Pompeo is welcomed by Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson as the two countries prepare to forge a new trade deal Getty Images

The 97-year-old, who served in the Army for 32 years, said: "I feel really depressed at the idea that we are leaving Europe because it has meant so much to me.

"I like to be called a European. And the feeling that one has of comradeship as one goes round Europe is really quite something."

He added: "At my age I shan't be living much longer but I hope that, for the sake of my children and my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren, that England, Britain will move back to be much closer to Europe than what we have done now."

The message was shown just after midnight on Friday so as to be seen on Brexit Day itself.

Mr Daw, 95, fought in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany during the war.

He said: "I feel very, very sad about it all because we don't know which way things are going."

Appealing to fellow Europeans on the Continent, he said: "Look from your side to this side, see these white cliffs, and we're looking across at you feeling we want to be together and we will be together before long, I'm sure."

Ben Stewart, 45, one of the organisers from Led By Donkeys, said that the group wanted to do something to mark the day.

He said: "It was a real honour to put their words up there.

"We really want people in Europe to know that the display that they saw of a kind of crass Nigel Farage and Brexit Party MEPs goading the European Parliament is not the country that we live in and not the country that we love.

"There seems no better choice of people for the nation that we are than Steve and Sid."

Listen to today's episode of The Leader: