D-Day memories still clear

A New Zealand D-Day veteran says he has a clear memory of the Allied landing in Normandy 65 years ago, in an operation that saw control of France eventually won back from the Germans.

Maurice Mayston, who now lives in Lower Hutt, was a Spitfire pilot who supported the assault from the air. He says the mission began at dawn and he was looking down on a huge number of battleships and cruisers being marshalled for the landing.

He recalled seeing the dark shadows of all the warships as he patrolled the sky above the beach during the landings in order to keep enemy aircraft from doing too much damage.

Mr Mayston was among those attending the the commemoration ceremony at the National War Memorial in Wellington this morning.

The Normandy Veterans' Association Honorary Life President David Christison said today's commemoration of D-Day is particularly significant. He said the parent body of the association in the UK has decided to disband after this year's 65th anniversary and most of the branches around the world will be doing the same.

Mr Christison said the most of the remaining 30 members here want to keep going, so they will still have commemorations after this year but probably not on such a grand scale as today.

- NEWSTALK ZB