15249/0D-DAY 60TH ANNIVERSARY: HEROES and survivors from D-Day were honoured in the largest memorial service held in west Wiltshire for almost 50 years on Sunday.

More than 160 people, including war veterans and 29 standards, marched through Trowbridge town centre to mark the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The tribute was brought forward by a week because many survivors from the war are heading out to France at the weekend for special anniversary memorial services.

Leading the march were 12 D-Day veterans and the commemoration ended with wreath laying in Trowbridge Park and a special dinner at the Civic Centre.

Now organisers of the successful tribute are hopeful the march, which attracted young onlookers, will mean the efforts of the D-Day veterans will not be forgotten.

Charles Luckhurst, secretary of Trow-bridge White Ensign Association, said: "These are the people who came back, there are many people who weren't so lucky.

"There was a mixture of people young and old, my son was trying to explain the reason everyone was marching to my 11-year-old granddaughter.

"We have never had 29 standards before so it was a very fitting tribute for the D-Day veterans.

"It was really nice but people will forget about D-Day over time, when you start thinking about the First World War unless you go over and see the graves in France people find it difficult to remember or understand.

"D-Day was bad enough with hundreds and hundreds killed, some didn't even get off the ships and some of the tanks sunk straight away, it must have been awful."

The march was led by the Swindon Core of Drums and was hailed as the largest D-Day march in Trowbridge since the immediate days following the Second World War.

During D-Day on June 6 1944 hundreds of soldiers lost their lives invading northern France, but the battle marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany.

Further D-Day celebrations are planned for the weekend but many veterans are heading to Normandy for special services to be attended by the Queen.

Today a commemorative bench will be unveiled at Regal Court, Bythesea Road in Trowbridge by McCarthy & Stone in tribute to D-Day veterans.

On Sunday between 2pm and 5pm an air display will be held at Keevil airfield to commemorate the role played by the Royal Airforce Keevil in the D-Day invasion.

From Tuesday veterans can take part in a sharing of memories at Warminster Library.