WWII veterans gather for ‘most moving occasion’

SURVIVING World War Two veterans joined thousands of people at events across Britain yesterday as the nation marked the 60th anniversary of VE Day.

The Prince of Wales launched commemorations at a moving service at the Cenotaph, laying a wreath in tribute to the fallen as dozens of former servicemen lined up along Whitehall to watch.

Prince Charles later watched around 2,300 veterans from across the Commonwealth parade through Hyde Park to the strains of five military bands.

Representatives from Australia, Canada, Fiji, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa joined their British colleagues at the parade and service of the Combined Cavalry Old Comrades Association.

Young cadets pushed wheelchairs for old soldiers too infirm to march, ensuring they could take part in the parade, and Prince Charles spent time speaking to the former serviceman about their recollections.

He also chatted to the young recruits hours before his own son, Prince Harry, embarked on officer training at the Sandhurst military academy.

Retired Major Neville Gillman, 87, from Chesham, Bucks, who was injured when his tank was blown up at the decisive Battle of El Alamein, was among those being wheeled along by a younger soldier.

Watching the VE Day parade in Hyde Park, the former Desert Rat, said: "It's probably the most moving occasion."

He added: "If there's one good thing that can be said to happen in wartime, it's the comradeship and the sense of duty."

However, many servicemen admitted they were disappointed that the Cenotaph memorial was a low-key affair.

Veterans said they were saddened by the fact that the queen and the prime minister were not among those paying their respects in Whitehall.

Queen Elizabeth will lead national commemorations on Sunday, July 10, which has been designated as the principal day of remembrance as a date between both VE Day and VJ Day.

Former RAF Corporal Leonard Hamer, 83, said his colleagues felt snubbed.

"We are all disappointed that the queen and the prime minister are not here, when we arrived we looked around and thought that this was a nonentity."