Military veterans have gathered in Portree to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Events are being held across the country and in France today to mark the events of 6th June 1944, when thousands of Allied troops came ashore in Normandy to begin the campaign to liberate western Europe from Nazi Germany.
Today’s 6am vigil – timed to coincide with the early morning landings on the beaches of Northern France – was organised by the Skye Veterans Breakfast Club, a group which provides opportunities for former members of the armed forces to meet and support those who have moved from military to civilian life.
Representing the King at the war memorial in Somerled Square was Norma Young, the deputy Lord Lieutenant for Ross, Cromarty and Skye.
Vigil organiser Thomas Wilson, who served with the parachute regiment between 1996 and 2002, said: “The idea came from Jack MacFarlane, a former warrant officer in the RAF, who is one of our breakfast club members.
“A lot of us also went over to visit Normandy last year to see the beaches for ourselves – it’s an amazing place to go for veterans, to see it now, and think back to what it was like with so many men there, who were just like us.
“As the years go on it’s still important to remember because of what they did, and because of the links that continue to families that live here today.
“It’s a huge part of the history of our people here in Skye.”
Skye’s last surviving link with the D-Day landings was Breakish man Jimmy Clark, who died in March last year at the age of 99.
Jimmy – who was raised in Glasgow with family links to Skye – was part of the legendary Royal Marine Commando unit which trained at Achnacarry in Lochaber prior to the landings of 1944.
He was at Sword Beach in Normandy and among the commandos who helped to secure Pegasus Bridge – a key strategic crossing point of the Caen Canal which had initially been held by the 6th Airborne Division, dropped in by parachute during the early hours of D-Day.
In 2016 French Consul General Emmanual Cocher travelled to Skye to present Jimmy with France’s highest military honour, a medal as a ‘Chevalier’ in the French Légion d’Honneur.
The letter confirming the award, from French ambassador Sylvie Bermann, spoke of the heroism which embodied that generation.
It read: “As we contemplate this Europe of peace, we must never forget the heroes like you, who came from Britain and the Commonwealth to begin the liberation of Europe by liberating France.
“We owe our freedom and security to your dedication because you were ready to risk your life.”