Get the latest news from Manx.News

99-year-old Manx veteran remembers his fallen comrades at D-Day service

Thu, 06 Jun 2019

D-Day veterans have been thanked and tributes have been paid to the sacrifice of the "greatest generation" at a commemoration service in Douglas to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The Island's only remaining Normandy veteran Hector Duff was among the Mayor and local leaders who attended the commemorative event on North Quay this morning.

Mr Duff was working on the Isle of Man Railway when, at the age of 19, he called up to fight in World War II. He served in the 7th Armoured Division (known as the Desert Rats) from 1940 to 1945. His time in service took him across Europe and Northern Africa, taking part in the Battles of El-Alamein in 1942 and the invasion of Italy in 1943. His division was in Normandy on the afternoon of D-Day, and they continued through France and into Germany, taking part in the Victory Parade in Berlin. His service continued in Germany after the end of war, where he was involved in the early work of the Nuremberg Trials. 

On his return to the Island, Duff briefly resumed his career as a railway worker, before joining the Isle of Man Constabulary, where he served for thirty years.

He spoke to MTTV at the commemoration service:

---

Videos

• D-Day landings event in Douglas