A chance meeting has rekindled the friendship of two war veterans - 54 years after they fought shoulder to shoulder during the D-Day landings.

Harry Sergeant, 82, and Bernard Barry, 81, could not believe their eyes when they bumped into each other while out shopping in Shipley town centre.

More than half a century had passed since they were last together on the beaches of France, but the pair recognised each other and the memories came flooding back. The two pensioners became friends after joining up to the Royal Army Service Corps in 1939, driving supply wagons.

Although they were side by side during the D-Day landings in June 1944, they became separated and, when the war ended, each returned home not knowing whether the other had made it out alive.

Bernard was awarded a clutch of medals for his six years service in the Middle East, France and Germany.

After being de-mobbed, he became ranger at Bradford's Lister Park, retiring after 23 years service, and now lives in Queensbury with his wife Joan.

He said: "It's amazing - bumping into Harry after all these years. I was sat in Shipley town centre when he came up to me and said: 'It is, isn't it?' It took me a few minutes to place his face but I knew it was Harry.

"We reminisced about the war and how we'd both helped push the Germans back. The actual D-Day landings are a bit of a blur, so it's strange we both remembered seeing each other as we stood on the beach. We've got some painful memories and talking about it brought tears to my eyes."

After the D-Day landings, Harry drove one of six wagons carrying vital medical supplies into the German concentration camp at Belsen. After being de-mobbed, he returned to Dover on a Thames barge.

The former Bradford Interchange supervisor lives with his wife Jean in Esholt.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.