A solemn service was held last week as town residents and dignitaries gathered to remember the soldiers, sailors and airmen of D-Day. The held at Westhoughton Cenotaph marked the 80th anniversary of the famous storming of the beaches at Normandy that led to the liberation of Europe from Nazi Germany. Westhoughton’s commemorations were led by town mayor and veteran Cllr Neil Maher, who reflected on his own experiences of the Falklands conflict.
He said: “In 1982 I disembarked SS Canberra to land at San Carlos Bay as part of the task force to retake the Falkland Islands. Cllr Maher laying a wreath (Image: Public) “I was very conscious I was carrying a ridiculous amount of personal equipment that weighed as much as me and was being taken to the shore on a small venerable vessel, and if I ended up in the water my chance of survival was negligible. “Left with my thoughts I awaited my fate.
The ceremony was attended by people from across the town (Image: Public) “However, once ashore I parked those thoughts until 18 years later when I watched the beach landing scenes in Saving Private Ryan. “I realised I’d tasted a small slither of this awful reality, and I was in awe of their much greater experience, adrenaline, fear, smell, noise, confusion, and sacrifice that our soldiers, sailors, airmen and not forgetting their families left behind gave for us and our today. “We should and will remember them.
” Wreaths laid at the monument (Image: Public) The D-Day landings of.
