WORLD War Two veterans joined forces in Chipping Sodbury to celebrate the launch of a new book about their memories.

Echoes from the Front Line has been produced to provide a lasting legacy of local servicemen and women's experiences including everything from fighting to decoding Enigma messages.

More than 100 local veterans came to the launch, at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall on Friday, some dressed in full World War Two uniform.

They shared memories and sang along to nostalgic wartime songs as the book's author, Jackie Ashman, from Yate, gave a talk on the fascinating stories she has discovered while researching the book.

"I cannot count how many times people have said to me that they wished they had recorded their parents' memories of the war before they had died," said Jackie.

"These stories cannot be forgotten and this book is not just for older generations but for our children and grandchildren who will want to read about these people's experiences."

The book, which has been published by South Gloucestershire Council Museums and Heritage, includes memories of Alice Hunt, from Winterbourne Down.

Alice, now 84, joined up as a teleprinter operator and remembers receiving messages detailing Operation Overload, which signalled the start of the Normandy invasions.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time in service," Alice, a great-grandmother, told the Gazette.

"You had to be able to do 15 messages in 15 minutes but there was a lot more to it than that."

Jackie spent months interviewing veterans and researching historical events for the book, which is a by-product of the BBC World War Two People's War project to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the war in 2005.

The book will be sent to every school in South Gloucestershire in the hope it will help to educate young people about Britain's wartime history.

Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council Cllr Brian Freeguard was at the launch.

He said: "This book gives in-depth knowledge to those like myself who were not involved in the war of the personal hardships and losses of those who took part.

"It is one of the best ways of preserving war memories."

Members of the Royal British Legion were also on hand to help launch the book.

Staple Hill branch president Reginald Hall said: "We must thank everyone who shared their memories and photographs for this book to be produced.

"Without those people we would be in a worse state than we are today."

The book is available from all South Gloucestershire libraries and Yate Heritage Centre.