Former GI Ken Cooke, a veteran of the Normandy landings, holds a picture of him and his buddies in the Second World War.AN amazing coincidence during the D-Day commemorations in Normandy reunited two American soldiers after a gap of 60 years and gave a Salisbury family an emotional moment they will never forget.

Ken Cooke, who is now 83, and his wife Joan - former Salisbury GI bride Joan Sellwood - made the journey from their home in Oregon to her native city, along with several members of their family, to attend the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Ken and his wife stayed with Joan's sister-in-law Win Sellwood at her home in Waters Road, Salisbury, with their youngest daughter Susie, while Win's son Colin Sellwood had eldest daughter Jean and her husband Gary staying with them in their home in Friary Lane.

The two families travelled together as a group to Normandy for the various events but it was during a reception prior to the ceremony on Omaha beach that fate took a hand.

Ken, who served with the 29th Division Combat Engineers, was among the 216 members of his battalion who stormed up Omaha beach 60 years ago, so at the reception the day before the commemorative service on Omaha beach, Ken and his family were talking to members of the American Legion to see if any of his former comrades were there.

One man produced an old photograph showing Ken and three colleagues standing on the beach 60 years ago.

The owner of the photograph was Ken's former master sergeant, Fred Peterson.

It was then that the two men realised that 60 years on they had met up again and in a few hours time would be standing side-by-side on the same beach where the photo had been taken during the horrific battle of Omaha beach - the first time the two had met since the war.

Colin Sellwood said: "It was absolutely amazing. This chance meeting made the whole weekend for my uncle.

"It was so emotional for us all, but particularly for Uncle Ken.

"After the landings, my uncle was given some leave and had From page 1

returned to Salisbury to be with his new wife. After the war, they returned to America."

Colin added: "There was no contact between Ken and Fred until the D-Day anniversary weekend, when they met up again out of the blue. It was unbelievable."

Ken met Joan while he was stationed at Tidworth with the 29th Division.

The couple were married at St Martin's Church, in Salisbury, on May 15, 1943.

Of the 216 soldiers in Ken's battalion who landed on Omaha beach in 1944, only 56 survived.

The reunion of two of them made the long trip from Oregon to Salisbury and then on to Normandy all the more worthwhile and ensured Ken took back some unforgettable memories when he left Salisbury yesterday to return home.