OLD soldiers formed a guard of honour at the funeral of D-Day veteran Vernon Jones.

Mr Jones, from Steventon, near Abingdon, died on Easter Sunday, aged 94.

Roy Bailey, 81, a member of the Oxford branch of the Royal Green Jackets Association, said he and other veterans formed a Guard of Honour at the funeral last week at St Michael and All Angels Church.

Mr Bailey said: "The church was packed with family, friends and old comrades.

"There was a Guard of Honour from members of the RGJA Oxford branch under the command of branch chairman Terry Roper, and the Last Post and Reveille were played by Bugle Major Phil King of the Oxfordshire (The Rifles) Battalion Army Cadet Force.

"A standard bearer of the Royal British Legion was in attendance throughout.

"The service was conducted by the Rev Phil Sutton, assisted by Jack Jarvis, who served in the Ox & Bucks as a National Serviceman from 1952 to 1954."

Mr Jones was brought up in South Wales but moved to Abingdon with his family in 1931.

He joined the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, based at Cowley Barracks, before joining 2nd Battalion, The Hertfordshire Regiment, to take part in the Normandy landings.

The anti-tank gunner in the 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, landed on Gold Beach and was given the task of unloading equipment.

Following the D-Day landings Mr Jones fought across France, Belgium and Holland and into Germany but was injured in February 1945.

He leaves his wife Hilda, brother Bryn and two other siblings.