FALLEN D-Day soldiers were remembered in St Nicholas’ Gardens, Whitehaven.

A service was held on Saturday to mark the 75th anniversary of the Allied forces landing in Normandy.

The Duke Street side of the gardens displayed the flags of the army and the Royal Air Force. On the Lowther Street side, the Royal Navy’s flag and the Union flag were flown with pride.

Ian Fisher, chairman of the Royal British Legion Cumberland branch, noted that the wide representation was because the day was not just for those who fought in Normandy.

“It is all soldiers, all veterans for whatever conflict you want to think about," he said.

Marching music accompanied the parading of the standard bearers for Cumbria’s British Legion branches: Cumberland and Westmorland, West Cumberland; Bransty, Egremont and Workington.

The standard of the Royal Engineers Association West Cumberland branch was also on display in the parade which circled the grounds of St Nicholas’ Gardens, stopping opposite the Normandy Veterans' Association Memorial.

A service was held by Reverend Robert Jackson along with with Rev David Harkinson of The United Reform Church as well as Lt David and Lt Eveline Haines from the Salvation Army.

Speaking at the memorial service, Mr Jackson outlined the different roles in the Normandy invasion which played a pivotal role in the liberation of western Europe.

Mr Fisher said that the service was poignant because: “You can have all your pomp and ceremony but I think it is a good time to sit and think.

“It’s individual remembrance of their own relations.”

And the ceremony included a moment of silence for that reason. Following the two minutes silence, Mr Fisher read the iconic Kohima epitaph: “When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today.”