City of York Council is preparing to present its Freedom of the City award to a Normandy veteran.
The local authority is to hold an extraordinary meeting this Thursday, during which it is expected to grant the prestigious title to Ken Cooke, the last surviving Normandy veteran in York.
Following a nomination from Cllr Martin Rowley, Mr Cooke, aged 100, is due to receive the award in honor of his military service in the 1944 D-Day landings.
Cllr Rowley told the BBC: ‘In recognition of all that he's done, not just in his wartime service but everything he's done for veterans' affairs and welfare - and remembrance of the Second World War here in York - we think it's only fitting that he is awarded the Freedom of the City.’
The council is predicted to vote unanimously in favour of bestowing the award on Mr Cooke, who has continued to invest time in remembrance events, as well as visiting schools and community groups to discuss the experience of veterans.
‘In my seven years as a councillor, I have only seen three freedoms given’, added Cllr Rowley.
.png)
