THE police came in for criticism in your issue of June 10 (letters page and page 13) for failing to stop the traffic during the Marlborough D-Day Remembrance ceremony at the town's war memorial.

It was pointed out on both pages that two police officers directed the traffic to keep moving especially during the two-minute silence. The inference being that the officers, one a WPC, were indifferent to the feelings of the veterans, onlookers and the reason for the ceremony. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While I was talking to a former tank commander who landed on D-Day, the two officers approached me and apologised profusely for the traffic problems and stated that no request had been made for the traffic to be brought to a standstill.

They went further and said they had again asked before the ceremony if the traffic should be halted as they were prepared to carry this out. They were told by an officer of the Royal British Legion that in the interests of community relations it should be allowed to remain on the move. However, there is no doubt in my mind that the two officers were genuinely regretful that they were not requested to stop traffic. And for this I commend them to their station commander.

I was not on the D-Day landings and did not see action until the 6th Airborne Division was dropped across the River Rhine a few months later. I might add that my thoughts during the ceremony were on those who did not survive the D-Day landings and the Rhine crossing, particularly the Canadian airborne element who received heavy casualties in both operations, and not on the moving traffic behind me.

RON EVANS

(Ex 591 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers)

Address supplied