I HAD the great privilege of attending the D-Day commemoration in Normandy and it is to the eternal credit of the French that they have not forgotten the great sacrifice made by our forces on that crucial day 60 years ago.

Parents and children waved and cheered these very real heroes, many now in their eighties. But as someone who has never had to face the horror of war I found the contrast with England very sad.

Initially I was proud to see the Cross of St. George flying on buildings and cars the length of this country. But wait, these flags are not for our heroes of 1944; they are flying for our heroes of Euro 2004, a football team. This is what the English consider most important to them today -- overpaid and over-indulged mannequins. They don't know what real heroes are. Let's hope we never need them again.

G. JONES