WAR veterans are to present the the campaign medals of a teenage soldier killed in World War Two to his relatives.

The reason the 95th (Barnet) Branch of the Normandy Veterans Association has taken a great interest in 16-year-old Jack Banks, who was killed after the D-Day landings in July, 1944, is because he was so young.

Terry Burton, chairman of the North London association, managed to trace the relatives of Private Banks, from the 8th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry, with the help of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph earlier this year.

After many chats with his relatives, the association is delighted to have received his medals from the Ministry of Defence and they plan to present them to his brother and sister who still live in East Lancashire.

They will also invite Darwen veterans, relatives and groups to join them in a commemorative parade in memory of all those from the town who died during World War Two. Mr Burton said: "We found out that the medals had never been claimed and the family signed the release forms for them. I have just received the medals and I am going to frame them and make them into a plaque for his relatives. It will be an honour for us to hand them over. I am coming up to Darwen for a day in October to see the war memorial and to try and arrange our visit in May. We will be having a parade to commemorate the 60th anniversary of D-Day so I will be inviting everyone to take part, such as the Royal British Legion, guides and scouts, the Darwen Light Infantry and the territorial army.

"It will be from a point in Darwen, still to be decided, to the war memorial and will be led by the Normandy veterans.

"Jack would have been 76 years old and we will be paying tribute to him and presenting the medals posthumously.

"But we don't want to make too much of an example of him because there were obviously many other people killed in the line of duty so this is for them and their relatives as well."

Private Banks' sister Jean Wilson, 67, who lives in Ansdell near Lytham St Annes, said she was glad the medals had been claimed.

She said: "Mr Burton has kept me up to date on the situation and he has done a lot for us. This has been a long time coming but I am pleased that Mr Burton now has the medals. I also hope that Darwen will now do something for all the soldiers and get their names on a war memorial.

"It will be either myself or my brother George, 70, who still lives in Darwen, who will accept the medals. I am very proud of Jack but it will be a sad occasion too. It is sad that my mum and dad could not have seen the medals and that Jack could not have received them himself."

The veterans paid homage to Private Banks during a trip to his French war grave this year.

Private Banks was the eldest of five children, who were born in Radford Street, Darwen, to Jack and Fanny Banks.

He went to Holy Trinity Primary School and Spring Bank secondary school. He had always wanted to join the army so he lied about his age and joined the Home Guard at the age of 15.

He died after being hit in the thigh by mortar shells while returning to camp with his superior.

Mr Burton is hoping to get in touch with local groups interested in taking part in the event in May 2004. They can contact him on 0208 3688802.