VETERANS of the 1944 Normandy beach landings were thanked when they were presented with commemorative badges at a ceremony in Poole.

Some 37 veterans received the honour from the mayor of Poole, Cllr Les Burden, the Lord Lieutenant of Dorset Captain Michael Fulford-Dobson and the president of Normandie Memoire 60th Anniversary Association Admiral Christian Brac de la Perriere. The ceremony was also attended by Poole MP Robert Syms, Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Annette Brooke and leader of Borough of Poole council Brian Leverett as well as representatives from the regional council of Lower Normandy.

A total of 6,000 veterans are being awarded the badges by the French.

For those unable to travel to Normandy in June, but who are entitled to a badge, the Poole ceremony was one of a number taking place across the south of England during the weekend of October 15 and 16.

Regional councillor for Lower Normandy Daniel Bosquet read out a speech written by the council's president Phillipe Durand, who was unable to attend the event. He said: "Your courage remains engraved in all our memories. We can never express our gratitude strongly enough for the sacrifices you made to restore freedom in our country.

"Thank you for taking part in the landings that changed the course of history."

Cllr Burden added: "It's a great privilege and honour to present the veterans of Poole with these badges provided by the French as a generous act of gratitude and goodwill to British Allied forces who served in Normandy."

Donald Yeomans, chairman of the Poole Branch of the Normandy Veterans Association, presented a commemora-tive plaque to Admiral Brac de la Perriere.

He said: "On behalf of the Normandy veterans may I thank the French government and all you kind and generous people that made this very much appreciated ceremony possible."

First published: October 20