GROUPS of islanders will join thousands of people from around the world in Normandy for the D-Day landing commemorations. A party of 33 people, including nine children, is going from the Guernsey Military Vehicles Group.

The group includes some people from Guernsey Armouries and it will also represent the Royal British Legion.

It is anticipated that Normandy’s population will swell by 100,000.

‘It’s one last chance to meet the men who were there and for the children to carry the memory forward for years to come. It’s also a chance to pay our respects and say ﾓthank youﾔ,’ said group chairman Russell Doherty.

The group will take 12 vehicles, including a Morris general service truck, a Dodge ambulance, a Dodge six-wheel drive weapons carrier, five Willys Jeeps, a BMW motorcycle and side car, two BSA 500cc and Matchless motorcycles.

It will join thousands of others for the biggest gathering of military vehicles in northern France since the Second World War.

The group leaves today and its first stop will be outside Bayeux, the first French town to be liberated.

It will then head to Omaha Beach where they will meet fellow collectors at a military vehicle display on Friday.

Mr Doherty hopes to encourage people to come to Guernsey for next year’s 60th anniversary of the Liberation when it plans to hold a military vehicle rally.

‘Without D-Day, we would not have Liberation Day in Guernsey. It was a direct result of 6 June 1944 that this island was liberated.

‘We want to pay our respects, at the same time drumming up support for our own 60th anniversary next year.’

The group will visit Ste-Mere-Eglise before heading to Colleville-Montgomery on Saturday when there will be a parade of 1,200 from the Normandy Veterans Association.

‘That will be the highlight of the trip for me,’ said Mr Doherty.

Some 30,000 veterans from around the world will be at the commemorations.

The Prince of Wales will inaugurate a Horsa glider at the Ranville site and there will also be a British parachute drop of 600 men, some from Dakotas, onto the original drop zone.

Singer Fiona Harrison, who performed at St James recently, will be at a ’1940s night’ concert.

On Sunday, the group will be at the British-French service in Bayeux, which will be attended by French President Jacques Chirac.

It will lay a wreath on behalf of islanders and the RBL, of which five are members.

They also hope to visit the American cemetery at Omaha Beach.