Normandy veteran Ken in D-Day unveiling at York station

A crowd of onlookers gathered in front of the station's First Class lounnge as Ken, 97, and Father Adam Romanis of St Lawrence's Church dedicated a new oak memorial bench that will stand on Platform 3 as an 'everlasting memorial' to those who gave their lives in the war.

The bench was then dedicated and blessed by Father Adam before the Last Post was played.

Normandy veteran Ken Cooke joins serving members of the armed forces in a minute's silence following the unveiling of a memorial bench at York Railway Station (Image: Stephen Lewis)

Taking his seat afterwards, Ken said: "I'm very proud to say this bench is in memory of the people, the Normandy veterans past and present, and also the people of all branches of the forces who didn't come home.

"We have a bench in Normandy but we've decided to put a bench here in York to save people who can't get across to Normandy. They can come to York station and look at this bench and remember."

Ken, a former Green Howards private who took part as a young man in the D-Day landings at Gold Beach, did precisely that - recalling the time when he arrived back at York Railway Station after the war.

READ MORE:

- War hero Ken gets a welcome fit for a King at York Railway Station

- York Normandy Veteran Ken gets star billing at Palace of Westminster

- WATCH: Ken tries out the new memorial bench at York Railway Station

"I had just been demobbed. I'd got a new suit and some other nick-nacks and I came home, had a fortnight's leave, and then I went back to my job in Rowntrees," he said.

Shuffling around on the seat to get comfy, he added, with typical Ken Cooke humour: "I haven't got used to it yet. I think I'll organise some cushions!"

Earlier Nick Beilby of the York Normandy Veterans Assoaciation, who organised the unveiling with Paul Simpson of LNER, said the bench would serve as an 'everlasting memorial to all the lads'.

Normandy veteran Ken Cooke tries out the new memorial bench at York Railway Station with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of York (Image: Stephen Lewis)

The small crowd who had gathered on Platform 3 for the unveiling of the bench were also treated to another ceremony: the dedication of LNER's two Class 91 War Memorial locomotives, named 'For the Fallen' and 'Battle of Britain Memorial Flight'.

Both locomotives, each with its own distinctive livery, stood together at Platform 1 as the bench was dedicated. Ken and Farther Romanis then performed a short ceremony of dedication for the engines, too.

There was one final surprise for Ken.

In April LNER had arranged for him to ride back from London to York in the cab of the 'For The Fallen' locomotive.

As he climbed down onto the station platform afterwards, a thrilled Ken had joked that he wanted to retrain as a train driver.

LNER's Paul Simpson presents Ken Cooke with his train driver's L-plate (Image: Stephen Lewis)

So at today's event, LNER's Paul Simpson produced a special train driver's L-plate, which he presented to Ken with a flourish.

The veteran, for once, was almost speechless.

"That was a shock, was that one," he joked. "I'm going to get somebody for that!"