Polish veterans will join the march on Victory in Europe Day on its 75th anniversary, years after they were banned for fear of offending Stalin.

Polish military veterans of the Second World War will take part in commemorations to mark VE Day on May 8. Although they had been crucial allies in the campaign against Nazi Germany they were not included in the London Victory Parade on June 8 1946.

The British Labour government at the time was put under pressure by Josef Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, to exclude the Poles following the annexation of Poland.

Polish veterans did participate in local Remembrance events in subsequent years, but their lack of participation in the nation's biggest parade at the Cenotaph in London continued until that decision was finally overturned in 2005, with the British government formally apologising.

Polish soldiers were one of the largest national formations fighting against Germany with 200,000 under British High Command. The Battle of Britain and Arnhem offensive both had a significant Polish presence, and the groundwork for Alan Turing's efforts in cracking the Enigma Code was laid by Polish codebreakers Jerzy Rozycki, Henryk Zygalski and Marian Rejewski.

This year's early May bank holiday will be moved back by four days for the whole of the UK to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

May Day, traditionally held on a Monday, will be put back to Friday May 8 to mark the start of a three-day weekend of commemorative events, which will include more than 20,000 pubs encouraging people to toast the heroes of the war, while churches will take part in a Ringing Out For Peace.

Tanks from the Second World War have been withdrawn from a town's VE Day celebrations over fears they could pose a terrorism risk. Crowborough council in East Sussex said it would press ahead without the Army vehicles after advice from Sussex Police. Peter Cunnington, the council's operations officer, said he was warned that any "military style event" could be targeted by extremists.