A TRIBUTE to the island's war veterans will be held at Commissioner's House on Sunday.

The event is being held in addition to the annual Remembrance Day observances next Thursday and is free to the public.

"All remaining veterans of the Second World War (as well as) those of more recent campaigns, such as Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam, the Gulf, the Falklands and Northern Ireland will be honoured," a Government spokesperson said.

Eighty of the 372 Bermudians who served during World War One died. During World War Two, 36 of the 500 men and women who left the island, died fighting with a number of forces including the British Navy, the Air Force, the Merchant Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the US Forces and the First Battalion Caribbean Regiment.

"Our Defence Heritage Exhibit pays tribute to their service and sacrifices and many war veterans and relatives," said Registrar of the Bermuda Maritime Museum Linda Abend.

"Many of them were instrumental in making this unprecedented and very popular exhibit possible by donating their photographs, memories and artifacts to us in order to preserve their legacy and to help the Museum expand its collections of wartime memorabilia.

"We are particularly gratified that this tribute will continue the effort to document and honour the life stories of servicemen and women."

Sunday's event is being held in conjunction with the Department of Cultural Affairs as part of its Historical Heart Beats lecture series.

"The Department of Cultural Affairs will continue to invest in our people by raising the awareness of Bermuda's history and culture through the promotion of the 'Our Historical Heart Beats' series that is dedicated to the exploration of our diverse cultural heritage and history," said Cultural Affairs Minister Dale Butler.

"To this end, we recognise the educational value of such an endeavour, by ensuring that this information is documented and made available to our schools and the general public at large.

"We encourage all veterans, family, friends and the general public to come to the Commissioner's House to pay tribute to the war veterans who are part of our living history and to honour those who gave their lives. We also encourage veterans to wear their medals."

Mr. Butler added that Sunday's tribute would be documented on video and film as a means of preserving the memories of our remaining war vets. The Somerset Brigade Band has also been invited to play a selection of regimental music at the event, to be held between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.