MILITARY veterans, relatives and civic officials and councillors paid an emotional tribute at a ceremony in Tavistock to those who fought at D-Day.
The special event at Tavistock War Memorial marked 80 years since the biggest seaborne invasion was launched on June 6, 1944 eventually to free Western Europe from the Nazis during WWII.
A crowd of residents also watched the ceremony which included bugler Peter Hurdwell, of the Stannary Brass Band, sound the Last Post, a two-minute silence, the Reveille, the epitaph read out by Chris Smerdon, of Tavistock Royal British Legion, the Lord’s Prayer and, finally, God Save the King.
Chris, a former royal naval submarine officer, said: “I was very pleased that so many people came out to support the memorial service. We had a lot of veterans as well, who seemed to get a lot out of attending and local dignitaries. It’s important to remember everyone who fought and died and were injured in D-Day. It was a vital point in world history.”
Ken Kay, of Dousland, is a former soldier whose family served in both world wars, with his father Arthur landing on the D-Day Normandy beaches: “I was a boy soldier aged 15, and served with the Royal Corps of Signals. My family has all served in the military, with my wife’s grandfather in the First and Second World Wars. He was at Gallipoli and then in the Eighth Army. I’ve done my stints in various places including Northern Ireland. So, remembering comrades from D-Day and the Battle of Normandy is very important to me. They should never be forgotten for fighting for our freedom.”
Tavistock played an important role in D-Day planning with General Eisenhower visiting US troops of 29 Division who camped on Whitchurch Down and suffered big losses when they landed under fire from the Germans on Omaha Beach on D-Day.
