HE never knew the young soldier's name. But Joe Moorhouse, who served in the Royal Army Medical Corps, has never forgotten the 21-year-old six foot tall man, whose body he had to move.

It was shortly after landing on Sword Beach that he was asked by his officer to take the corpse away.

To this day he remembers the small shrapnel wound on the dead man's back that instantly killed him.

As The Last Post sounded during a remembrance service at Colleville-Montgomery, in Normandy, the 85-year-old from Aldermoor Road, Southampton, paid his own private respect to the man whose life was cruelly cut short by the lottery of war.

"I think of the soldier because he was the first one I had to deal with who had been killed," he said.

"War is disgusting, the suffering and the pain. It's about the worst thing that can happen."

Joe was one of about 19 Hampshire members of the Normandy Veterans' Association who took part in the commemorative ceremony attended by their patron Major-General Peter Martin, the Duke of Gloucester and the mayor of the village named after land commander General Montgomery, Guy Le Grand.

It was here 60 years ago, just a few minutes away on the beach that Joe landed at 6am.

With smoke ships on either side, the landing craft on which Joe sailed, made its way across the Channel and as it did so he became more fearful.

"The crossing itself was not too bad, I can remember a big strong smell of diesel, but whoever says they were not frightened is lying."

After getting on to Sword Beach along with his 20 subordinates of the Royal Army Medical Corps, Joe recalled asking the beach officer what they should do because he had been told to report to a field ambulance camp.

"The beach officer told me, you hear that noise going on up the road? Can you go there?

"I was nervous and scared but I could not show it because I had 20 people under me."

Joe was stationed at casualty clearing and field dressing station in Ouistreham, near Caen.

"It was an evening when I saw the first casualties. We had about seven to eight men to deal with who had shrapnel injuries.

"One officer came in who was very badly wounded with a hole in his back he would not let me put a dressing on until I had attended to all of his five soldiers."

The number of casualties Joe saw increased every day over the next six weeks as the Allies moved forward with their offensive against heavy German resistance.

"We were in Caen and the Germans had us more or less trapped. They had encircled the area but eventually we managed to push through a gap to a place called Fallaise. Once there I had to treat some Germans but I treated them just the same."

He remembers one German soldier who had a badly smashed up arm but who refused to have a pain killing injection of morphine.

"I think he was frightened of me. I remember another German soldier who came in like jelly and just collapsed on the floor with battle fatigue."

Joe spent six weeks there before eventually moving on to Belgium, never knowing what lay ahead.

"Anyone in battle conditions who is a Christian will say their prayers more fervently than at any other time of their life."

The married father of three and grandfather who went to work for Kennedy builders merchants in Commercial Road was one of 1,200 veterans at the service.

Rows upon rows of men in their late 70s 80s and 90s, their war medals glistening in the morning sunshine, took part in the parade from a car park near to the sea front to the statue of Montgomery, a focal point for the commemoration.

After taking their places the mayor welcomed them and the Duke of Gloucester - their patron - told them how proud he was to join them on the 60th anniversary of D-Day.

He said: "Many thought it was going to be impossible but you have proved them and your enemies wrong by bringing freedom to the continent."

The ceremony was not a triumphant celebration of victory as the duke described how many veterans do not come as victors but to remember their fallen colleagues.

"You have fulfilled all your obligations to your colleagues on this occasion," he said.

Onlookers, family and friends joined the veterans in singing the hymns, The Lord Anointed and Eternal Father and Major-General Martin read a lesson from St John's gospel, chapter 15, verses 11 to 17.

After a single bugle player performed the last post a minute's silence was held to remember those who never came home. Wreaths of poppies were then laid around Montgomery's statue before The Duke of Gloucester and local dignitaries took the parade salute.

Afterwards the local mayor awarded the veterans with commemorative breast badges.

Many of Colleville-Montgomery's 7,500 residents turned out to watch.

Among them was 15-year-old schoolgirl Leila Amaury who was busy collecting autographs from veterans.

"It is thanks to them I'm here today. I'm super happy to be here and to see them."

D-DAY - 60 YEARS ON: 16-pages of reports and pictures saluting the heroes of 1944 in today's Daily Echo.