Veterans parade in Down

Veterans of the second World War D-Day landings took part in a parade in Co Down.

Veterans of the second World War D-Day landings took part in a parade in Co Down.

Some 1,500 veterans and British forces servicemen commemorated the 60th anniversary of the June 6th invasion of Normandy.

A parade was held at Bangor, Co Down, from where ships had set sail to join the main invasion force. More than 5,000 vessels were involved in the operation on June 6th, 1944, making it the largest seaborne invasion of all time.

The parade made its way on Saturday from Bangor's Town Hall and stopped for a salute and ceremony of commemoration at Trinity Church.

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Mr Peter Aubrey, a veteran who took part in the event, said he was determined to attend despite ill health. He told the BBC: "It's nice to see so many of my comrades from the Legion still able to keep in step, which is more than I can do.

"I fought tooth and nail to get out of hospital to be here in time - I wouldn't have missed this." Although some of these veterans would have preferred to be with old comrades in Normandy, they were in a place with strong links with D-Day.

Bangor played a role in the invasion. In addition to the harbour being a point of departure for ships involved in the invasion, Gen Eisenhower, supreme commander of the allied forces at the time, had visited the area to wish the troops well.

Of three million men who fought in the subsequent battle, about 250,000 were killed.