As chairman, and on behalf of the members of Norwich and District
Branch of the Normandy Veterans Association, I write to express our
appreciation for a gesture made at Norwich war memorial by some of our
younger people.

As is now our custom, we veterans gather at the war memorial on June
6th each year (the anniversary of D-day) to pay homage to those of our
comrades who were killed in the Normandy landings and thereafter.

Following the unfortunate controversy that arose a day or so earlier
this year, it is indeed heart-warming and encouraging to find already
placed on the war memorial a large bouquet of flowers dedicated with
thanks to all veterans from "The youth of Earlham".

it is all too easy and perhaps customary nowadays to criticise those
of our younger generations, so it is therefore all the more gratifying
to be able to say to these young people a sincere and grateful
thank-you for what you did.

We, in this branch of the Normandy Veterans Association, devote
much

time and effort, especially through our schools visiting team, to put
across a message of the futility and waste of war and the vital need
for reconciliation.

It is indeed comforting to know that there are very many of our
younger people, largely unsung, who do care, who do think about wider
issues and who do consider others. We salute them.

LJ Bennett
Sprowston Norwich