100-year-old veteran kicks off V-E Day events as Britain thanks those who saved it during WWII

LONDON (AP) — A 100-year-old Royal Air Force veteran accepted the thanks of a nation Monday as Britain paused to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and honor the men and women who fought to save the country during World War II.

The day featured a procession by 1,300 members of the British armed forces, accompanied by troops from Ukraine and the U.K.’s NATO allies. The parade didn't begin until Alan Kennett, who landed in northern France on D-Day, accepted the salute from Garrison Sgt. Major Andrew Stokes in front of an audience that included King Charles III.

“Thank you and your generation for securing our freedom 80 years ago,” Stokes, in scarlet tunic and bearskin hat, said before saluting the RAF veteran, wearing a navy blue blazer with his medals pinned on the left breast.

This year’s V-E Day events have taken on increased significance because they are likely to be the last major observance to include significant numbers of World War II veterans.

After Big Ben tolled at noon, actor Timothy Spall recited the victory speech wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered to a roaring crowd in central London on May 8, 1945. Britain started its V-E Day ceremonies three days early because Monday is a public holiday in the U.K.

“I think we’ve been very lucky that we’ve had 80 years of peace … and we’ve got to think about all those that have (made) the ultimate sacrifice, and there’s very few of them left now because they’re all over 100,″ said Michael Burn, 67, who wore a suit patterned after Britain’s red, white and blue Union flag. “This is the last time we will celebrate the day in this sort of scale.”

Then it was time for the parade from the Houses of Parliament, through Trafalgar Square and down the Mall to Buckingham Palace. The Ukrainian contingent, though small, won a huge round of applause as their flag swept past the royal viewing platform.

The event ended with a flyover by British military aircraft, including a wartime Lancaster bomber and the RAF’s Red Arrows aerobatic team.

In the down moments, the Princess of Wales chatted amiably with Bernard Morgan, 101, a veteran who worked as a code breaker during the conflict. Afterward, she introduced Morgan to her children, George, 11, Charlotte, 10 and Louis, 7.

Their place in the front row was a reminder of the gulf between those who fought in World War II and the present generation. With even the youngest of those men and women nearing their 100th birthdays and their ranks dwindling rapidly, many have said they feel a special imperative to tell their stories and attend events that honor their fallen comrades.

Kennett, a mechanic who landed in Normandy to set up an airfield, said he was proud to represent the veterans.

“I just remember those that didn’t come back,” he said. “That’s the thing that sticks in my mind. I’m lucky. I got out. There’s a lot that didn’t, believe me. Luck of the draw. It shouldn’t be forgotten.”