YORK’S Normandy Veterans look set to be honoured with the freedom of the city.
Former Lord Mayor Brian Watson has requested that the York branch of the Normandy Veterans Association should have the honour conferred sometime in the coming months.
Coun Watson said that having made a tour of the battlefields last year with the veterans, and seen how much respect was shown to them by people from all over Europe, and even further afield, he realised it was time their own city gave them some special recognition.
Normally the freedom was given to a particular regiment, but on this occasion it would cover a few regiments, as more than one took part in the Normandy landings.
“I see this honour as a mark of respect in memory of the many that took part and it gives them the right to march through the city carrying arms, with drums beating and banners flying, but I honestly can’t see them doing that!” he said.
He said all veterans of armed conflicts were deserving of recognition, and the Normandy Veterans held a special place for the public due to their efforts and impact in the Second World War.
The request was announced by the current Lord Mayor, Coun David Horton, at a full council meeting on Thursday, and Coun Watson hoped a future council meeting would confer the honour.
Normandy veteran Ken Cooke, 85, from the Hull Road area, said: “I think it’s a good idea. It’s nice if there is this kind of recognition. I think the members will be pleased.”
He said there were now about 50 members of the association, about 20 of whom came regularly to meetings.
Honour hope for band of heroes
THEY are a dwindling band of heroes: men who put their lives on the line on the Normandy beaches for the freedoms we hold dear today.
Now York’s D-Day veterans look set to be awarded the city’s highest honour.
Former Lord Mayor Brian Watson toured the Normandy battlefields last year with veterans, and saw first hand the respect and honour shown them there. It was time their home city gave them the special recognition they deserved, he concluded. Now he has asked that the York branch of the Normandy Veterans Association be given the freedom of the city.
This is an honour usually conferred upon individual regiments. But Coun Watson believes it should be granted to all the York veterans who took part in the Normandy landings.
Quite right too. All veterans who risk their lives in the service of their country deserve to be honoured and remembered – not least the young men and women serving in Afghanistan today.
But the Normandy veterans are special. Without their sacrifices so many years ago, Britain would be a very different place today.
Coun Watson’s request that they be honoured with the freedom of the city was read out by new Lord Mayor David Horton at a full council meeting on Thursday.
The hope is that the honour will be confirmed at a future council meeting.
We hope it is. We owe these men so much. Granting them the freedom of the city would be the perfect way to publicly remember that.
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