War heroes were honoured yesterday at a D-Day commemorative service held at the Anglican Cathedral on Church Street.

Amid D-Day celebrations in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and France, Bermuda remembered its own war veterans.

But the service, which was attended by over 300 veterans, their families, local dignitaries and representatives of the US and Royal Navies, was less an occasion for celebration than remembrance.

"D-Day shouldn't be a day for celebration,'' said Bermuda Regiment Commander, Lt. Col. David Burch. "It's for remembering those who died.'' During the low-key service which was unmarked by a Guard of Honour or bugle call, some wept as the Anglican Bishop of Bermuda, the Rt. Rev. William Down told the congregation that "Allied Forces gave their all to secure peace and freedom.'' The body of the church was filled as representatives of the armed forces in Bermuda offered prayers of thanks to the soldiers who lost their lives in action. Lt. Col. David Burch thanked the "brave and faithful dead'' and paid tribute to "the devotion and courage'' of the soldiers, sailors and airmen who had taken part.

And Canadian Forces Liaison Officer, Major Sydney Helmkay asked for "praise and thanks for those who laid their lives down for friends.'' The bishop recalled his own childhood memories of the war and how on June 6, 1944, 860,000 Allied troops and 157,000 vehicles landed on the Normandy beaches in the "brilliantly planned'' Allied invasion.

And he asked the congregation to "remember with thanksgiving all who did not return'' while praising those who participated in the "meticulous operation.'' "The service was very impressive thanks to the Lord Bishop and all the war veterans and all the public who attended this service of commemoration,'' said Mr. Frank Farmer, President of the Bermuda War Veteran's Association. "It was very moving.'' "It was a service of remembrance,'' said war veteran, Mr. Eric Smith who had been fighting in Africa at the time of the D-Day invasion. "It was nice to see all the representatives of the different services here.'' But for others the service brought out more mixed feelings.

"All this does bring back unpleasant memories of the landing,'' says veteran Mr. Ronald Firth, "but it still makes you feel very proud to have taken part in it.'' Among those who attended the service were the Governor Lord Waddington and Lady Waddington, the Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan and US Consul General, Mr.

Joseph O'Neill. Also present were Commander Rich Link of the US Naval Air Station and Commander Robin Bawtree, Commanding Officer of HMS Malabar.

Royal Navy servicemen from the HMS Malabar arrived in a three-boat flotilla from Dockyard with their families to attend the service.

But others came from further afield.

"We didn't have a special reason for coming although my husband was involved in the war. We just wanted to be part of it all,'' said an Australian woman who was visiting the Island.