Coin honours D-Day's 50th anniversary

ROYAL British Legion officials hope a special 50p piece issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings will raise thousands of pounds for former servicemen.

The Royal Mint said that about 25 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of the coin would go to the legion's Poppy Appeal.

The singer Dame Vera Lynn, 76, yesterday unveiled the coin which will be released for use in May. It was created by the sculptor John Mills and depicts Allied forces heading for Normandy on 6 June 1944.

'Donating part of the proceeds to veterans - many of whom took part in the Second World War - is an ideal way of honouring the 37,000 UK servicemen who died during the re-occupation of France,' the legion said.

The coins are available in presentation packs for pounds 1.95 from the Royal Mint, Freepost PO Box 500, Cardiff CF1 1YY.

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