VETERANS of one of the most bitterly-fought battles of the Second World War received a Royal salute as they marked the 60th anniversary of the ordeal with a ceremony in York.

The Duke of Edinburgh watched as the veterans, most of them in their 80s and many in wheelchairs, marched proudly past York Minster yesterday, at the conclusion of the last official large-scale commemoration of the Battle of Kohima.

The ceremony, marking the 1944 battle, fought in north-east India as British, Indian and Commonwealth held and then repulsed a Japanese invasion from Burma, has taken place annually in York.

Prince Philip attended the memorial service, which was led by the Army assistant chaplain from Headquarters 2nd Division, the Rev R Hall, and the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope.

The Duke laid a wreath at the foot of the memorial near the Minster to the soldiers who fell in what became known as the "Battle of the Tennis Court". Wreaths were also laid by the commander of 2nd Division, Major General Euan Loudon, and by Lieutenant Colonel W Weightman on behalf of the Kohima Veterans.

Prince Philip joined the veterans and their families in a minute's silence and a bugler from the Highland Band of the Scottish Division sounded the Last Post and Reveille. A reception was later held at Imphal Barracks.

The Battle of Kohima formed part of a series of conflicts in north-east India usually referred to as "Imphal-Kohima", after the two main centres which the Japanese were trying to seize.

The commander of 14th Army, Lieutenant General Bill Slim, intended to defeat the invasion close to his own supply lines and then pursue the Japanese into central Burma. The plan eventually worked, leading to Japan's biggest defeat on land of the war, and paved the way for 14th Army's 1945 campaign, when it retook most of Burma.

But Slim had only expected the Japanese to get a regiment through the jungle to Kohima. Instead, the defenders faced a whole Japanese division in April 1944.

Massively outnumbered, they held on, despite savage fighting at very close quarters, until 2nd Division managed to break the siege.

Their ordeal is commemorated by the words of the Kohima Memorial: "When you go home, tell them of us, for your tomorrow, we gave our today."

Updated: 10:23 Monday, July 19, 2004