French Second World War veterans who flew missions from Elvington airfield will return to North Yorkshire tomorrow for a weekend of reunions and nostalgia.

About 100 veterans are expected to arrive in a French Air Force military transport plane tomorrow afternoon, followed by a reception at the airfield.

During the visit, they will meet the Duke of York and the Lord Mayor, Councillor Derek Smallwood, and have a poignant trip to Bettys tea rooms in York, where many courted local lasses. Almost 200 English girls from York and elsewhere returned to France with the airmen they met over here.

And some French airmen stayed here and settled down with Yorkshire girls.

During the final years of the war, RAF Elvington earned the nickname Little France as a French flag was flown overhead.

And for the past five decades, the airmen have made annual pilgrimages to Elvington to remember colleagues who died.

This year a special celebration is planned as it will be the last trip for many of the veterans, now in their 70s and 80s.

A service of thanksgiving and commemoration will be held at York Minister at 3pm on Friday and on Saturday a gala day will be held at the Air Museum at Elvington, during which a replica of the French Officers' Mess will be unveiled.

See WEBSITE Yorkshire Air Museum

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.