MEMORIAL Gardens in York echoed to the playing of a lone piper as veterans of the Normandy Landings met for the annual dedication of their memorial stone.

The Lord Mayor and civic party were among those who gathered yesterday for the short ceremony which included the laying of a wreath of poppies.

Ken Smith, 87, treasurer of the York branch of the Normandy Veterans’ Association, said: “We only have 13 veterans left in the York branch now. This is only a small ceremony, but it means a lot to us.

“We were just lads of 19 when we landed – now we are mostly in our nineties.”

The Lord Mayor, Coun David Horton, said: “It’s nice to see these veterans. We are losing them over the years but they still turn out for these events.

“We have an awful lot to thank them for.”