'D-Day veterans plaque is a wonderful honour'

A plaque unveiled at Gold Beach in Normandy to remember Surrey's D-Day veterans is a "wonderful honour", the family of one of the late soldiers say.

The blue plaque reading "Surrey Square – the spiritual home of all Normandy Veterans", was installed in Arromanches on the French coast to remember those who took part in the Normandy landings on 6 June, 1944.

Family members of Surrey's D-Day veterans joined in 81st anniversary commemorations on Friday morning as a bagpiper played to remember the fallen soldiers from the military operation.

Ian Allen, whose father-in-law Fred Lee took part in the D-Day landings, said the plaque was a "wonderful honour" for those who fought on the Normandy beaches.

He added: "I was fortunate enough to come over with the Surrey Normandy Veterans who used to come here every 6 June.

"The plaque all happened very quickly. I do get emotional."

Mr Allen, who travelled to Arromanches with his wife Katrina to remember her father and the other Surrey veterans, said he had helped to bring over the former World War Two soldiers to Normandy for previous celebrations.

Arromanches' D-Day museum has recently been replaced with a new multi-million euro building, leading to the current memorials being moved.

The new plaque was installed alongside the relocated memorials.

Mr Allen said that some of the army uniforms of those who had previously travelled over to Normandy were now kept in the new museum, adding he "can't help but be emotional when you walk past that".

The D-Day landings, one of the biggest ever military operations, was one of the turning points for Allied victory on the Western Front.

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