D-Day 6 June 2004
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The Maybole branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland held a D Day 60th anniversary church parade on Sunday June 6. They met at the Greenside at 9.45am and marched to the Old Church via School Vennel and High Street. After the service the parade started from Barns Terrace via Redbrae and High Street to the Town Hall for a civic reception. The march past was taken by Major George Hay, Scottish Yeomanry. Click on the images below to view them full size. More about this below.

The 60th anniversary of D Day was commemorated in Maybole last Sunday, June 6, with a church parade led by Maybole Pipe Band. The event was organised by the local branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland, the oldest in the country, in conjunction with South Ayrshire Council and Maybole Community Council.  Before the parade began Major George Hay TD, Scottish Yeomanry, Ayrshire, was invited to inspect the standard bearers by David Hunter, chairman of the Maybole branch RBLS, who was Parade Marshall.

 

Then the parade made its way to the Old Church via School Vennel and High Street. Major Hay is a deputy Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire and he was accompanied by Lieutenant Commander John Lorimer DSO who is also a deputy Lord Lieutenant. Other dignitaries included Councillor Andy Hill, leader of South Ayrshire Council, Councillor Alan Murray, and Chief Executive Tom Cairns; Chief Superintendent John Corrigan and Superintendent Bruce Kennedy, Strathclyde Police; Flying Officer Alex Lobban, RAF cadets; Alistair Kennedy, Vice Chair Ayrshire Area RBLS; several members of Maybole Community Council and Rev Dave Whiteman.

 

In his sermon Rev Whiteman said, “We are here today to remember those who fought and died on that day in June 1944; to give thanks for that supreme sacrifice; to thank God for the freedom we enjoy, and to celebrate our deliverance from the evil that gripped Europe in those dark days.”

 

After the church service the parade marched from Barns Terrace and made its way via Redbrae and Cassillis Road for the march past with the salute taken by Major Hay and then High Street to the Town Hall for a civic reception courtesy of South Ayrshire Council. At the Town Hall Councillor Hill welcomed everyone and said he believed very strongly that “It is important that those people who were injured or sacrificed their lives defending their beliefs and their country are never forgotten.” “It is also important,” he added, “that young people today, and generations to come, never forget those who have served their country in the armed forces.”

 

In reply, Alistair Kennedy comprehensively thanked everyone who had played a part in making the day such a success. “I always take pleasure now,” he continued, “at Area meetings that Maybole is the No 1 branch. We may be the smallest area in RBLS life but let me assure you we hold our own. “To see everyone on parade today was wonderful, there was a lot of service, pride, and memories for all of us.” He then recited what has become known as the Kohima Prayer:

“When you go home, tell them of us and say,
‘For your tomorrow we gave our today.’”

The words are attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds (1875 -1958), an English Classicist, who had put them together among a collection of 12 epitaphs for World War One, in 1916.