We are now closing this blog but you can read all our coverage of the 80th anniversary of D-day here.
A summary of today's developments
French president Emmanuel Macron presented three US veterans with the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest order of merit, at the international ceremony at Omaha beach in Normandy, France. The gathering was to mark 6th June 1944 when allied troops took part in Operation Overlord, a combined naval, air and land assault on the beaches of Normandy, which led to the liberation of Europe and the end of the second world war.
Macron said France and its allies will stand with Ukraine. “We are here and will not weaken,” he said in a speech also attended by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his wife. The Prince of Wales , Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and French prime minister Gabriel Attal also attended.
US president Joe Biden called for the world to stand together to defend freedom and democracy in memory of those who sacrificed lives on D-Day. Speaking in Normandy, he said: “To bow down to dictators is simply unthinkable. To do that would be forgetting what happened on these hallowed beaches. We will not forget.
“History tells us freedom is not free. If you want to know the price of freedom, come to Normandy and look.”
The Prince of Wales thanked Canadian veterans for their “extraordinary acts of bravery and sacrifice” and he spoke of the continued bond between Canada and the UK. Prince William, at the Canadian commemorative ceremony on Juno Beach, said: “All of you demonstrated heroism, and determination, that ensured fascism was conquered. “The commitment to service displayed by Canadian troops, is a great testament to the strength of the people of Canada. Canada and the UK continue to stand side by side as we did in 1944. Just as strong together, 80 years later.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla opened a new educational centre close to the British Normandy memorial in France. The couple toured the Winston Churchill Centre for Education and Learning.
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Footage on social media of Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy meeting an American D-Day veteran.
American D-Day veteran meets and hugs Zelensky:
— Kareem Rifai 🌐 (@KareemRifai) June 6, 2024
Veteran: "You're a savior of the people"
Zelensky: "No no, YOU saved Europe."
🇺🇸🤝🇺🇦
pic.twitter.com/arE3TXnwzE
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Eyebrows were raised at the Ministry of Defence when French immigration and customs insisted on checking the paperwork of 400 British paratroopers immediately after they dropped into fields near Saneville, Normandy on Wednesday.
Some felt the French were trying to make a point in response to the UK’s decision to leave the EU and, while immigration checks for British troops on exercise abroad are routine, doing so at a public commemoration is deemed exceptional.
US and Belgian troops involved in the drop were not checked, part of an international commemoration of one of the earliest operations of D-day. The US forces flew from France and had already completed their border formalities; no check was required for the Belgians as EU citizens.
The BBC has apologised for an “inappropriate comment” that was captured during a programme commemorating D-Day.
D-Day 80: Tribute To The Fallen, which aired on Wednesday, was presented by Kirsty Young, from the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Bayeux, France.
A clip from the live broadcast has been circulated on social media and features a voice that appears to say “French arseholes”.
A BBC spokesman said: “We sincerely apologise for an inappropriate comment that was captured during live coverage of the D-Day 80 event in Bayeux.”
The PA news agency understands the programme was unavailable on BBC iPlayer while editing took place, but is now back online.
'Let us have their courage,' says Macron of veterans
Addressing veterans and world leaders present at the event in Normandy, Macron said: “When we look at war coming back to our continent, when we look at people questioning the values for which we fought, when we look at those who want to change borders by force by rewriting history – let us stand with dignity and look at those who landed here.
“Let us have their courage.
“Here, the president of Ukraine – your presence here today shows us this in a very forceful way.”
As his speech ended, a flyby trailing red, white and blue smoke flew over.
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Macron added that France and its allies will stand with Ukraine.
“We are here and will not weaken,” Macron said in a speech also attended by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his wife.
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French president Emmanuel Macron smiled as he presented three US veterans with the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest order of merit, at the ceremony.
Before awarding the honours, Macron said: “We thank all of the veterans being present here and I just want to express the gratitude of the French people.”
He added that the three men had a “special relationship” with one of the beaches before shaking hands with the veterans in turn and attaching the medals to their jackets.
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Macron finished his speech by highlighting the attendance of the Ukrainian president Volodymr Zelenskiy at the international ceremony at Omaha beach, which was followed by applause and a Red Arrows flypast.
France’s president Emmanuel Macron has been speaking at the international ceremony at Omaha beach. He addressed those gathered in French.
Veterans can be seen in the TV coverage listening via headphones.
More readers have got in touch whose family members remember D-day:
‘I don’t know how bad it was for him, because he’s one of those people who doesn’t want to make a fuss’
My father, Jim Lancaster, was an army commando with Lord Lovat’s First Special Services and landed on D-day with Piper Bill Millen. He helped relieve the paratroopers at Pegasus Bridge then moved on to occupy the Saulnier Farm (Commando HQ for a couple of months). He didn’t come in on the first wave; it was easier for him than it was for the Americans and the Canadians who had to go up cliffs.
On 7 June he carved his name in one of the walls at the farm, which my brother and I went to see last year. Amazingly, the date and his name are still there 80 years later. It was only revealed when the roof fell in. It was inside the area where they must have kipped. The farm is privately owned and there is a campaign to save it for historical significance reasons.
He got shot in the calf at some point, and that shrapnel was travelling around his body, but the doctors just said: “Well, it’s not doing any harm”. I don’t know how bad it was for him, because he’s one of those people who doesn’t want to make a fuss. He’s a very practical person.
Later, when they liberated Paris, my father was part of a group of people who went to Bergen-Belsen, but he didn’t really talk much about that. The photos he had were very disturbing, and we were never allowed to see them until he died. Siobhan Lancaster, 59, Tenby, Wales
‘His D-day message would be to remember the terrible loss of life and to cherish and value peace above all else’
My great uncle Karl, was born in 1923 to a factory worker in a German village. Like most of the villagers he would never have volunteered to fight in the war but was conscripted. He was there on the German side on D-day.
He told me this in the year 2000. I was living in England at the time, and had an English boyfriend. We visited Germany, and were having coffee and cake with my uncle when he suddenly said, “Oh, it’s so wonderful how you can live in the UK now and have an English boyfriend. I was there on D Day, you know?” I had no idea.
He remembered row after row of allied soldiers getting killed and just said sadly what a day of an unbearable amount of deaths it was. Not long after he had his leg blown off.
He said he only survived for two reasons: he remained conscious and so was not left for dead but transported to a hospital. After losing lots of blood he owed his ongoing survival to a young Dutch nurse who donated her blood to him.
Karl became a teacher and got married. He was a staunch pacifist for the rest of his life and rejoiced in the strong European (EU) relations in his later years.
Most importantly, he never forgot that young woman from the supposed enemy who he owed his life to and he made sure that this story was told at his funeral in 2007.
His D-day message would be to remember the terrible loss of life and to cherish and value peace above all else. Daniela, 47, Berlin
Here is a reminder of the main events happening now and yet to take place today:
2.30pm BST International ceremony at Omaha Beach – over 25 heads of state, including Biden and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy, veterans, officials honour the troops who landed on the beach at D-day.
3pm BST An 80-strong boat flotilla parade in Falmouth. About 27,000 American troops departed from the Falmouth area to travel to Normandy in 1944 as part of the D-day landings.
7.30pm BST The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester to attend D-day 80: Remembering the Normandy Landings at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
At the international commemorative ceremony on Omaha beach, there have been a series of readings in French and English and musical performances which are also being broadcast on big screens in the arena.
The ceremony also featured music from French composer Erik Satie, recollections on the second world war from servicemen and performances by young people.
On the BBC coverage, a team of sky divers were visible as they landed on the beach at regular intervals as pipers played.
King Charles opens Churchill Education Centre close to British Normandy memorial in France
King Charles and Queen Camilla have opened a new educational centre close to the British Normandy memorial in France.
The Press Association (PA) reports that shortly after attending the nearby UK commemorative event, Charles and Camilla toured the Winston Churchill Centre for Education and Learning.
They were shown an exhibition gallery, curated by the Royal British Legion, telling the stories of those who fought on D-day and in the Battle of Normandy. According to the PA, Charles was heard remarking: “It’s extraordinary isn’t it?”
Charles and Camilla spoke to a number of people involved in the building of the centre, including sculptor David Williams-Ellis. They then signed the visitor’s book, before departing.
The centre will also feature a purpose-built classroom to host school groups, teaching them how the landings were possible. It will be open to the public from 7 June and entry will be free.
The opening was also attended by UK prime minister Rishi Sunak and Gen Lord Richard Dannatt, the chairman of the Normandy Memorial Trust.
Aster Crawshaw, senior partner at law firm Addleshaw Goddard, which acted as both a legal advisor and a sponsor of the centre, said of the opening:
The Winston Churchill Centre for Learning and Education marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the British Normandy Memorial, preserving the legacy of those who fought for our freedom.
The facility will help ensure that future generations never forget the sacrifices that were made by brave men and women during the second world war.”
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Daniel Boffey reporting from Ver-sur-Mer, has written a piece on how the words of D-day veterans stirred the crowd in Normandy:
It was not the profound silence of the moment of reflection, broken only by gentle birdsong, or even the spectacular sweeping flypast from the Red Arrows that left deep red, blue and white trails hanging in the almost cloudless sky, that most stirred the thousand people honouring the events of 80 years ago among the brilliant white French Massangis stone of the British Normandy memorial.
It was instead the words of Arthur Oborne, 100, which brought people to their feet in a spontaneous show of gratitude and sorrow over the burdens borne and lives prematurely ended by what the king had described as “the vast allied effort” launched on 6 June 1944.
Standing at the centre of the memorial site, opened in 2021 near the village of Ver-sur-Mer and overlooking Gold beach, Oborne, working hard to keep his voice strong and clear, recalled being shot in the lung by a sniper.
He had only been saved by his friend “Gummy” Gummerson, who strapped him up and got him back to a field hospital. But “Gummy” was killed the very next day along with 26 others in the 49th division of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, 6th Battalion.
“I wish I could tell him that I have never taken his sacrifice for granted and will always remember him and our friends,” Oborne, from Portishead, Somerset, told the crowd. “So Gummy, thank you my old friend.”
You can read Daniel Boffey’s full piece here:
US president Joe Biden has arrived on Omaha beach with his wife, Gill, to raucous cheers.
One of his first conversations on greeting fellow leaders was with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been hugging and chatting with a number of the US veterans as they arrive at Omaha beach.
A large screen on the beach provides the audience with a close up look at the greeting line to the right of the stage.
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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy was engaged in an intensive conversation with the Czech president Petr Pavel soon after his arrival on Omaha beach.
Pavel holds the rank of general and was chair of the Nato military committee until 2018. He was decorated by the Czech and French governments for rescuing French troops besieged by the Serbs during the Bosnian war in 1993.
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Spectators have cheered and given a standing ovation to Battle of Normandy veterans who are arriving at the commemoration service in Arromanches.
The town square parade by the D-day museum is being watched by crowds and people in overlooking shop windows and a cafe rooftop.
One veteran waved and smiled to the crowds as he arrived in his wheelchair.
In the hot sunshine, veterans donned sunglasses and D-day caps, while being shaded under umbrellas by family members as they watched the military parade start the Arromanches service.
The veterans have a view looking out to sea over Gold Beach where troops landed 80 years ago.
Here are some of the latest images on the newswires from Omaha beach as international leaders, officials, veterans and members of the public make their way for the international commemorative event:
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his wife, Olena, were greeted with cheers and applause as they arrived at the international commemorative event on Omaha beach.
Olena Zelenska looked behind in surprise as the crowd erupted as they walked into the open air venue.
France’s Emmanuel Macron and the British defence secretary Grant Shapps were among the politicians to greet Zelenskiy with a hug. No Russian representative has been invited to the commemorative events due to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
International commemorative ceremony begins
The international commemorative ceremony is under way as international leaders arrive at Omaha Beach in the town of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer.
BBC coverage is showing the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and first lady, Brigitte Macron, greeting Candian prime minister Justin Trudeau, followed by Prince William.
More than 25 heads of state will be in attendance alongside veterans, officials and the general public.
The UK defence secretary Grant Shapps has arrived at the international ceremony on Omaha beach. He is deputising for the prime minister who returned to London after the British commemorate event this morning.
The Prince of Wales is also attending this afternoon’s service.
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The US secretary of state Antony Blinken has shared a statement today in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D-day.
It reads:
Today, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-day, a pivotal moment in our shared history that resonates deeply with Americans, our allies, and the world. On June 6, 1944, brave allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in a heroic effort to liberate Europe from the grip of Nazi tyranny.
We honor the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of those who fought on the frontlines for freedom and those who supported them from afar. The bonds forged on the beaches of Normandy have endured for eight decades, evolving into the alliances that underpin our collective security and defence of democracy today.
We extend our profound gratitude to the people of France, who have preserved the memory of D-day with unwavering dedication.
As we prepare to host the Nato Summit in Washington DC., we are reminded of the enduring importance of our alliance. Together, we face renewed challenges to freedom and democracy.
These challenges have reignited the spirit of cooperation and shared purpose that led to victory for those who came before us. The Nato summit will be an opportunity for us to highlight our collective commitment to liberty, democracy, prosperity, and security.
As we mark the 80th anniversary of D-day, we face the future together with courage and determination.”
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British prime minister Rishi Sunak has been criticised for missing the major international ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-day, PA Media reports.
PA says:
A Tory source played down the diplomatic impact of the prime minster’s absence, pointing out he will see Macron, Biden, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and other key leaders at the G7 summit in Italy next week.
But Nigel Farage, whose announcement this week that he is standing in the election came as a blow to Sunak, criticised the move.
The Reform UK leader tweeted: “The prime minister has ducked out of the international D-day event to fly back to the UK to campaign. I am here in Normandy in a personal capacity because I think it matters. Does he?”
Sunak attended events in Normandy today, including speaking at the major British ceremony, but will not be present alongside leaders including France’s president Emmanuel Macron and US president Joe Biden at the international gathering.
With the UK general election campaign in full swing, Sunak will head back to the UK – but the leader of the Labour party, Keir Starmer, will be at the high-profile international event in Normandy.
According to PA, a Tory source played down the diplomatic impact of the prime minster’s absence, pointing out he will see Macron, Biden, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and other key leaders at the G7 summit in Italy next week.
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British veterans including Ken Cooke, 98, who stepped on to Gold beach at 7.45am on 6 June are being applauded as they arrive at the international commemoration at Omaha beach.
Cooke, who had never seen a ship before sailing to Normandy from Southampton eight decades ago, spoke to the Guardian before the commemorative events in Normandy.
You can read Daniel Boffey’s interview with Ken Cooke here:
The Press Association (PA) reports that King Charles told a D-day veteran he is “doing well” as he and Queen Camilla attended a D-day memorial event in Normandy.
After attending the UK’s commemoration event in Ver-sur-Mer in Normandy on Thursday, Charles and Camilla visited a marquee where veterans were having tea and cakes. On one table, the king sat beside Ronald Hendrey, 98, of Clacton-on-Sea, who asked about his health.
Hendrey said: “He was very nice, he listened to what I was saying and took it in. “I asked him how he was doing, he told me he is doing well.”
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Stories of D-day veterans
Readers have been sharing their stories of family members who took part in D-day. Here are some of them:
‘His hair started falling out in clumps. A barometer of his state of mind’
My dad, John Clarke, born August 1917 in Aston, Birmingham was a lorry driver in the Royal Army Service Corps. He volunteered alongside two mates the day before war broke out as he reasoned that the earliest recruits would be demobilised first. They didn’t imagine for a moment that their next day on Civvy Street would be seven or so years later.
On 4 June 1944, they were told to prepare to ship out. No mention was made of invasion, although this had been quite obvious for some weeks or months. On the 5th, they set off for Normandy, and it was only then that their true destination was revealed. My dad has told me little about the journey over to France, other than the terrible sea state that made many sick, and that he noticed his hair started falling out in clumps. A barometer of his state of mind.
They landed late evening on 6 June at Arromanches when the beach head had been established and things were relatively quiet, but the evidence of what had occurred earlier in that day was no doubt sobering. Adrian Clarke, 57, telecom engineer, Auckland, New Zealand
‘He was only a lad at the time’
Aged 18, Peter Brown from Hull, my dad, took part in the D-day landings landing on Sword Beach in the first wave as part of the Second Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment. He talks of the feelings of himself and all his young comrades leading up to the event. I think they were apprehensive, but stoic. Another soldier told him, ‘‘You never look scared”, which he said was obviously not true. He was only a lad at the time. You just resign yourself, I suppose, to carry you through.
When they did get off, the water was much deeper than he expected it to be. He got absolutely soaked carrying these big packs and his gun. And obviously he saw comrades, already killed, in the water.
Having survived the beaches his battalion’s job was to plough on towards Caen, where he was wounded and returned briefly to Haslar, Portsmouth to have shrapnel removed from his arm. When he rejoined his unit, there was only one soldier left that he knew.
He went on to prepare for Operation Market Garden subsequently making his way through the Netherlands, battle after battle, ending up in Bremen when peace was declared. My dad wrote a fairly detailed account of his experiences sometime after the war. He joined the Normandy Veterans Association some time in the 80s and made many trips back to Normandy and Holland. Chris Townend, retired teacher, Knutsford, Cheshire
‘Dad, not knowing in the dark if this was friend or foe, played dead’
Raymond Wynne Batten, my dad, was in the 13th Battalion of the British 6th Airborne Division that parachuted into Normandy on D-day. He landed in a tree at the edge of his drop zone, but before he could cut himself down he heard machine gun fire and then someone came through the undergrowth and looked up at him. Dad, not knowing in the dark if this was friend or foe, played dead, and this seemed to be effective, as the figure moved off, after which he got out of the tree and moved towards the rallying-horns.
I had a close relationship with him, especially as an only child, but there was an atmosphere in the family that we didn’t want to talk about unpleasant things, and as a typical hippy pacifist type of youngster I think I blocked out the necessity of war and dad’s experience. Only much later as an adult, and hopefully a bit wiser, did I really sit down with him and listen.
I’m now married to a German, live in Bavaria and since Brexit have taken on German nationality. Our fathers met once and were really friendly and open to each other, even though they couldn’t speak each other’s language. Susan Batten-Seidl, 68, retired English teacher from the UK, now living in Amberg, Bavaria
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US president Joe Biden commissioned a challenge coin in honour of the 80th anniversary of D-day, the White House said.
The coin features an image of troops approaching the beaches of Normandy and B-17 aircraft flying overhead and the number 9388 etched in the sand, which represents the number of Americans who remain in Normandy to this day and lie at rest in the cemetery.
It also features the presidential seal adorned with a blue star and a gold star and a quotation on the coin reads: “They also serve who only stand and wait.” The White House said the line from Milton often used by Biden is to “encapsulate the service and sacrifices of military families”.
Biden presented the coins to the second world war veterans he met prior to the start of the ceremony, all of whom are D-day survivors.
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A 21-gun salute follows as Biden, Macron and those present salute before a moment of silence then a fly past from F-35 jets in the missing man formation.
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Biden calls for world to stand together to defend freedom and democracy in memory of those who sacrificed lives on D-Day
Biden says: “To bow down to dictators is simply unthinkable. To do that would be forgetting what happened on these hallowed beaches. We will not forget.
“History tells us freedom is not free. If you want to know the price of freedom, come to Normandy and look. Go to the other cemeteries in Europe where our fallen heroes rest. Go back home to Arlington. Remember the price of unchecked tyranny is the blood of the young and the brave. In their generation, in their hour of trial, the Allied forces at D-Day did their duty. Now the question for us is: in our hour of trial, will we do ours?
“We have to ask ourselves, will we stand against evil, against crushing brutality. Will we stand for freedom, will we defend democracy? Will we stand together? My answer is yes and only can be yes.”
He says: “In memory of those who fought here, died here, literally saved the world here – let us be worthy of their sacrifice. Let us be the generation that history writes about in 10, 20, 50, 80 years from now. Let it say: when the moment came, we met the moment and stood strong.”
'We will not walk away,' says Biden, drawing parallel between D-Day and Ukraine
Biden says the dark forces the Allies fought 80 years ago have not faded. He says the struggle between dictatorships and freedom is unending. He says Ukraine remains as a stark example and says it has been invaded by a tyrant but the Ukrainians are not backing down. “We will not walk away,” says Biden.
Biden says D-Day proved that democracy is stronger than any army in the world. He says they proved the unbreakable unity of the allies. “What the allies did 80 years ago, far surpasses anything we could have done on our own,” he says. He reminds those present of the value of working together. There is a round of applause as he talks about the Nato alliance.
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Biden says walking the rows of the cemetery has reminded him of the story of America. “Different races, different faiths, but all Americans who all served with honour when America and the world needed them the most,” he says. “From coast to coast, Americans found countless ways to pitch in.”
“The men who fought here became heroes, not because they were the strongest or toughest or fiercest – although they were – but because they were given an audacious mission, knowing the probability of dying was real. But they did it anyway. They knew beyond any doubt that there are things worth fighting and dying for: freedom is worth it, democracy is worth it, America is worth it, the world is worth it. Then, now and alway.
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Biden outlines the history leading up to the D-Day landings. He praises the bravery of the forces who were aware their odds of survival were low. He praises the courage and resolve of the US forces and the Allies. “Many never came come, many survived that longest day,” he says.
“A few of that noble band of brothers are here today,” he says, then highlights the deeds of some of those veterans sitting on the platform alongside him.
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'Highest honour': Biden salutes veterans of D-Day
Biden says it is the highest honour to be able to salute the veterans of D-Day in Normandy. “All of you, God love you,” he says.
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Joe Biden speaks in Normandy
Joe Biden is speaking now at the US ceremony in Normandy. He begins:
The hour had nearly come. Monday, June 5, 1944. The evil third Reich had devastated the world. Nazi Germany had subjugated the once free nations of Europe through brute force, lies and twisted ideology.
Millions of Jews were in the holocaust. Millions of others were killed by bombs, bullets and bloody warfare. Hitler and those with him thought democracies were weak and the future belonged to dictators.
Here, on the coast of Normandy, the battle between freedom and tyranny would be joined.
'You saved the world': US defense secretary Lloyd Austin pays tribute to D-Day forces
US defense secretary Lloyd Austin is speaking. He says he is honoured to be there and bows his head to remember the more than 9,000 US soldiers killed or wounded on D-Day. He gives thanks though says his thanks is “inadequate”. He remembers every Allied warrior who fought for freedom on 6 June 1944 and he thanks the veterans for rallying today. “We are humbled by your presence,” he says and remembers those who have left us.
“You helped defeat what Churchill called a ‘monstrous tyranny’,” he says. “You laid the foundation for a more just, free and decent world. Together with our allies, we built peace out of war.”
“Our memories must never dim, our resolve must never fade,” he says.
He says the world must “stand firm against aggression and tyranny” again now. He calls for the world to again to defend the principles the allied armies carried.
He again thanks the heroes of D-Day: “You saved the world”.
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Our Washington bureau chief David Smith has highlighted the story of Jake Ruser, 99, who served as a frontline medic from the Normandy landings 80 years ago to the end of the war.
Still just a teenager, combat medic Jake Ruser clung to the netting, knowing that one slip could be fatal as he came down from a ship to a landing craft bound for Normandy. “They had these big cargo nets draped over the side of the ship,” he recalls with a clarity that defies the decades. “I had to climb down these nets and had my equipment with me, which made it harder.
“As the wave would pass under, the big ship would rise up and the little boat would drop down. So you had to time it between those few seconds to get from that big ship cargo net into the boat without falling. If you slipped, you went between the two and got crushed.”
Ruser made it to the Utah beach a week after D-day, codenamed Operation Overlord, the biggest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare. On 6 June 1944 the Allies used more than 5,000 ships and landing craft to land more than 150,000 troops on five beaches in Normandy, leading to the liberation of France and Europe from Nazi Germany’s occupation.
You can read the full story here:
The French president asks all those present to remember the history created by the American who gave their lives. He calls for respect for the veterans, who fought for the freedom of France. He reminds the audience that these US veterans were young men when they fought in Normandy and highlights the terror they must have felt on D-Day. He thanks them for all of France.
He presents the veterans present with the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest medal of honour.
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Emmanuel Macron is speaking now at the US ceremony in Normandy. Earlier today he posted on X that France was eternally grateful to the Allies for their freedom.
For freedom.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 6, 2024
Eternal gratitude to our Allies. pic.twitter.com/MReXM8y8iv
Ukrainians defend Europe's freedom now as Allies defended it 80 years ago, says Volodymyr Zelenskiy
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy is joining world leaders and veterans in Normandy. In a post on X, he emphasised the value of freedom and democracy and the importance of defending it.
“We will be honoured to participate in a special event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy. This event and day serve as a reminder of the courage and determination demonstrated in the pursuit of freedom and democracy. Allies defended Europe’s freedom then, and Ukrainians do so now. Unity prevailed then, and true unity can prevail today.”
Today, @ZelenskaUA and I arrived in Normandy, France, for important events and meetings aimed at strengthening our country and promoting the unity among all those who respect human values and life.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 6, 2024
We will also be honored to participate in a special event commemorating the 80th… pic.twitter.com/jd44LpI5bV
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US commemorations begin in Normandy
Joe Biden and his wife Jill have arrived at the US commemorative event alongside Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. He will speak after meeting veterans at the Normandy American Cemetery where there will be a 21 gun salute.
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Eyebrows were raised at the Ministry of Defence when French immigration and customs insisted on checking the paperwork of 400 British paratroopers immediately after they dropped into fields near Sannerville, Normandy on Wednesday.
Some felt the French were trying to make a point in the response to the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, and while immigration checks for British troops on exercise abroad are routine, doing so at a public commemoration is exceptional.
Après les parachutages organisés par les Britanniques, ce mercredi à Sannerville, les courageux parachutistes passent par la case « douanes » pour des formalités administratives. Avec le sourire. #DDay #Calvados #Normandie pic.twitter.com/J9oCoP1gf4
— Ouest-France 14 (@OuestFrance14) June 5, 2024
Though the drop and the event happened 24 hours ago, it has been increasingly picked up online. Brigadier Mark Berry, the commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, told the Sun: “It is something we haven’t experienced before.”
French president Emmanuel Macron earlier honoured Wren officer Christian Lamb, a veteran officer in the Women’s Royal Naval Service, and awarded her the Légion d’honneur medal.
According to the BBC, in 1944 Lamb helped plan the D-day landings from Winston Churchill’s secret war rooms in London.
Speaking after King Charles’s speech, Macron described Lamb as “one of the heroes in the shadows”. Before awarding her the medal, he said: “You have set us an example we will not forget.”
The BBC report that Lamb left school at 18 and moved to Normandy, but “in 1939 she got a telegram from her father, who was an admiral, saying the war was imminent and to return to London but she began working as a clerk for the Royal Navy and then an officer”.
Before the Prince of Wales and the prime ministers of France and Canada left floral tributes on Juno Beach, a lone piper played a lament in the dunes as the waves crashed on the sands.
On D-day, 359 Canadian soldiers were killed, while more than 5,000 troops from the Commonwealth country died over the course of the 11-week Battle of Normandy.
Prince William’s wreath had the handwritten note:
Remembering all Canadian acts of bravery and sacrifice 80 years ago.
Lest we forget. N’oublions jamais.”
King Charles speech: in full
King Charles has delivered a speech at the UK’s commemorative event in Normandy for the 80th anniversary of the D-day landings.
Here is his speech in full:
Monsieur le President, nous vous sommes reconnaissants de nous honorer de votre presence ici aujourd’hui, au memorial Britannique de Normandie.
Eighty years ago, on D-day, 6th June 1944, our nation and those which stood alongside us faced what my grandfather, King George VI, described as the supreme test.
How fortunate we were, and the entire free world, that a generation of men and women in the United Kingdom and other Allied nations did not flinch when the moment came to face that test.
On the beaches of Normandy, in the seas beyond and in the skies overhead, our armed forces carried out their duty with a humbling sense of resolve and determination: qualities so characteristic of that remarkable wartime generation. Very many of them never came home.
They lost their lives on the D-day landing grounds or in the many battles that followed.
It is with the most profound sense of gratitude that we remember them, and all those who served at that critical time.
We recall the lesson that comes to us, again and again, across the decades: free nations must stand together to oppose tyranny.
As the years pass, the veterans of the Normandy campaign become ever-fewer in number.
Over the past forty years I have had the great privilege of attending seven D-day commemorations in Normandy and meeting so many distinguished veterans.
Indeed, I shall never forget the haunting sights and sounds of thousands of be-medalled figures proudly marching past into a French sunset on these beaches.
Our ability to learn from their stories at first-hand diminishes. But our obligation to remember them, what they stood for and what they achieved for us all, can never diminish.
That is why I am so proud that we have a permanent National Memorial in Normandy, by which to remember the more than 22,000 service personnel in British units who gave their lives during the D-day landings and the Battle of Normandy.
It was built at the suggestion of a veteran, George Batts. He is sadly no longer with us, but lived to see it built and explained on the day it was opened why it means so much: “We left a lot of mates behind and now I know they will never be forgotten.”
So, for the first time today, we can come together at Gold Beach, the objective of the 50th Infantry Division, to honour those who fought on this ground eighty years ago, and who continued for three months of the war’s fiercest fighting to secure Normandy.
Ce memorial rend egalement un hommage particulier a la plus grande tragedie du debarquement: le nombre inimaginable de civils français qui sont morts dans cette bataille commune pour la liberte, alors que les allies se battaient dans le nord-ouest de la France pour s’assurer une victoire finale.
Nous ne manquerons jamais de rendre hommage au courage et au sacrifice incroyables des hommes et des femmes de la Resistance francaise, ainsi qu’aux nombreux civils qui fournirent des renseignements essentiels, saboterent les approvisionnements et les communications, et tendirent de cruciales embuscades.
La chaleur, et la generosite, de l’accueil reserve aux veterans du debarquement par les Normands constituent l’aspect le plus emouvant et le plus memorable de ces commemorations.
(Translated into English)
This memorial stands also as a special homage to the greatest tragedy of D-day: the unimaginable numbers of French civilians who died in this joint battle, for freedom, as the allies sealed off north-west France to ensure a final victory.
We must never fail to pay tribute to the unbelievable courage and sacrifice of the men and women of the French Resistance, and many ordinary people, who provided vital intelligence, cut off supplies and communications, and laid critical ambushes.
The warmth and the generosity of the welcome which the people of Normandy have shown to the veterans of D-day is the most moving and memorable part of these anniversaries.
(Translation ends)
This vital start to the liberation of Europe was a vast allied effort. American, British, Canadian, French and Polish formations fought here in Normandy. Among the names inscribed on the walls and pillars of this memorial are men and women from more than thirty different nations and many faiths.
United, they fought together for what my grandfather, King George VI, described as “a world in which goodness and honour may be the foundation of the life of men in every land.”
As we stand alongside their remaining friends and comrades on this hallowed ground, let us affirm that we will strive to live by their example, let us pray such sacrifice need never be made again, and let us commit to carrying forward their resounding message of courage and resilience in the pursuit of freedom, tempered by the duty of responsibilities to others, for the benefit of younger generations and those yet unborn.
Our gratitude is unfailing and our admiration eternal.”
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Joe Biden is at the US commemorative event at the Normandy American Cemetery.
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During the ceremony at the Juno Beach Centre in Courseulles-sur-Mer, William, other dignitaries and members of the audience stood as one to applaud the veterans.
The elderly men, many in wheelchairs and wearing their medals, military uniforms or regimental berets, looked out over the sand dunes to the beach where 80 years ago to the day, the liberation of Europe began.
Here are some of the latest images on the newswires:
Prince William thanks Canadian veterans for their 'extraordinary acts of bravery and sacrifice'
The Prince of Wales said he wanted to thank the Canadian veterans for their “extraordinary acts of bravery and sacrifice” and he spoke of the continued bond between Canada and the UK.
Prince William, at the Canadian commemorative ceremony on Juno Beach, said:
All of you demonstrated heroism, and determination, that ensured fascism was conquered.
The commitment to service displayed by Canadian troops, is a great testament to the strength of the people of Canada.
Canada and the UK continue to stand side by side as we did in 1944. Just as strong together, 80 years later.
Ensuring the memory of those who fought for freedom lives on is why we’ve come together again today – to say thank you.”
Prince William, addressing veterans at the ceremony on Juno Beach said: “Thank you for our freedom, and thank you for your service.”
He ended his speech by repeating his appreciation in French, saying: “Merci pour notre liberte, et merci pour votre service.”
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Prince William has praised the 'bravery and sacrifice of the Canadian troops, who gave so much 80 years ago'
The Prince of Wales has praised the “bravery and sacrifice of the Canadian troops, who gave so much 80 years ago” as he delivered a speech at a D-day anniversary ceremony on Juno Beach.
He was joined by Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, French prime minister Gabriel Attal, Canadian D-day veterans and armed forces personnel in Courseulles-sur-Mer in France.
Prince William said:
On June 6 1944, as part of the 150,000 Allied troops that landed or parachuted into Normandy, 14,000 were from Canada.
Far from home they stormed these very sand dunes behind me, shoulder to shoulder with thousands of British troops.
Standing here today in peaceful silence, it is almost impossible to grasp the courage it would have taken to run into the fury of battle that day.”
He said:
The assault on D-day remains the most ambitious military operation in history.
The events of that windy, grey day, ultimately led to the liberation of Europe, but it came at heavy cost.
We continue to honour every Canadian, who gave so much. Every Canadian family who lost a loved one.
Every Canadian who lived with the scars of battle, both physical and mental.”
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Nine Red Arrows in formation flew overhead as the national anthem of the UK was sung, trailing the team’s trademark red, white, and blue colours.
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Wreaths were laid by King Charles, French president Emmanuel Macron, British prime minister Rishi Sunak, the British chief of the defence staff and the Royal British Legion national chair as the combined bands of the Royal Air Force played Elgar’s ‘Nimrod’.
After his speech, King Charles saluted during the ‘Last Post’ and the silence that followed.
Some veterans stood and saluted while others remained in their chairs with their eyes closed.
King Charles pays tribute to the 'remarkable wartime generation' in D-day memorial speech
Paying tribute to the “remarkable wartime generation” as he gave a speech at the UK national commemorative event in Normandy on the 80th anniversary of D-day, King Charles said:
Eighty years ago on D-day, the 6th of June 1944, our nation – and those which stood alongside it - faced what my grandfather, King George VI, described as the supreme test.
How fortunate we were, and the entire free world, that a generation of men and women in the United Kingdom and other allied nations did not flinch when the moment came to face that test.
On the beaches of Normandy, on the seas beyond and in the skies overhead, our armed forces carried out their duty with a humbling sense of resolve and determination – qualities so characteristic of that remarkable wartime generation.
Very many of them never came home, they lost their lives on the D-day landing grounds or in the many battles that followed.
It is with the most profound sense of gratitude that we remember them and all those who served at that critical time.
We recall the lesson that comes to us again and again across the decades – free nations must stand together to oppose tyranny.”
Concluding his speech, the king spoke of his “unfailing” gratitude to those who lost their lives on D-day 80 years ago:
This vital start to the liberation of Europe was a vast allied effort.
American, British, Canadian, French and Polish formations fought here in Normandy.
Among the names inscribed on the walls and pillars of this memorial are men and women from more than 30 different nations and many faiths.
United, they fought together for what my grandfather, King George VI, described as ‘a world in which goodness and honour may be the foundation of the life of men in every land’.
As we stand alongside their remaining friends and comrades on this hallowed ground, let us affirm that we will strive to live by their example, let us pray such sacrifice need never be made again and let us commit to carrying forward their resounding message of courage and resilience in the pursuit of freedom, tempered by the duty of responsibilities to others for the benefits of younger generations and those yet unborn.
Our gratitude is unfailing and our admiration eternal.”
Updated
'It is with the most profound sense of gratitude that we remember them': King Charles says in speech at the British Normandy Memorial
King Charles has praised D-day veterans at the UK’s commemoration event in Ver-sur-Mer, France, on the 80th anniversary of the landings, adding: “It is with the most profound sense of gratitude that we remember them and all who served at that critical time.”
Addressing those gathered, King Charles spoke in English and French. He spoke of the “remarkable wartime generation” and said we must “recall lessons that comes to us again and again”.
Per the BBC’s reporting, King Charles called on the three nations to “oppose tyranny” and said he prays that such sacrifice that they made “never be made again”.
He ended his speech by saying: “Our gratitude is unfailing, and our admiration eternal.”
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King Charles is now speaking at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer.
Welsh singer Tom Jones performed his song ‘I Won’t Crumble With You If You Fall’ at the UK’s national commemorative event in Normandy to mark the 80th anniversary of D-day.
The singer stood in front of a wall bearing the names of personnel serving under British command who died while taking part in the invasion and Battle of Normandy.
The BBC report that Jones’s grandfather died in the first world war, and is buried in France.
Prince William arrives for the Canadian commemorative ceremony
The Prince of Wales has arrived for the Canadian commemorative ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-day at the Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer.
Prince William was greeted by Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and French prime minister Gabriel Attal, who shook the prince’s hand before they walked towards their seats.
Here is a bit more detail on the testimony of Joe Mines, a D-day veteran who landed on Gold Beach 80 years ago and is present at the commemorative event held in Normandy today.
British actor Martin Freeman read out his message earlier. Here is part of that reading:
Joe Mines, clearing mines. One of our fellows trod on one and blew his leg off. The whole leg went. War is brutal.
I was 19 when I landed, but I was still a boy. I don’t care what people say, I wasn’t a man, I was a boy. And I didn’t have any idea of war and killing.
I want to pay my respects to those who didn’t make it. May they rest in peace.”
French President Emmanuel Macron arrives at the British Normandy Memorial
French president Emmanuel Macron and the first lady, Brigitte Macron, shook hands with prime minister Rishi Sunak as they arrived at the memorial in Ver-sur-Mer.
Macron then took his seat next to King Charles and was seen smiling as he talked to Charles for several minutes.
Macron will be awarding France’s highest distinction, the Légion d’honneur, to veterans today.
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“The British Normandy Memorial not only honours those under British command but the many French civilians who lost their lives during the campaign,” said Antonia Desplat, reading out the testimony of a French veteran, Colette Marin-Catherine, in attendance.
Marin-Catherine still lives in Normandy today, shares Desplat.
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British singer and actor Johnny Flynn has just performed at the British Normandy Memorial.
Actor Douglas Booth is reading the testimony of Ron Hendry, Royal Navy veteran, who is in attendance at the memorial.
Two military planes flew overhead as the veterans were helped into the event.
Normandy veteran and memorial ambassador Ken Hay was seen looking up and nodding his head.
Actor Martin Freeman is now sharing a reading from one of the veterans, Joe Mines, as he looks on.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive at the British Normandy Memorial
King Charles and Queen Camilla have arrived at the UK’s national commemoration event at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, France.
They were greeted by prime minister Rishi Sunak, his wife, Akshata Murty, and Lord Peter Ricketts, honorary president of the Normandy Memorial Trust, among other officials.
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Here are some images of Rishi Sunak speaking today as he made a speech at the British Normandy Memorial.
'You risked everything and we owe you everything': Rishi Sunak begins UK commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial
The British prime minister is making a speech at the British Normandy Memorial.
Eighty years ago, the weather broke and the greatest invasion force in history left the shores of Britain to liberate Europe. We are here today to remember the sacrifice of the tens of thousands who did not make it home. And we are here to honour the service of those who did. Men like Ken Cooke, 18 years old. He’d never been on a boat before. He’d never been on a beach before. Yet, with his regiment, he landed on the first wave to storm Gold Beach.
Or Stan Ford, 19, who was manning a gun turret on HMS Fratton when a torpedo struck, blowing him into the water. The ship sank in four minutes. Thirty-one of Stan’s shipmates were lost from a crew of 80.
Or Royal Marine Dennis Donovan, who landed on Juno Beach alongside Canadian forces. They fought their way off the beach and into bitter house-to-house fighting. By the end of the first day, a quarter of his unit was dead or wounded.
Ken, Stan and Dennis are here today alongside dozens of their fellow veterans. We are humbled to be with you and, for what you did that day, we will always be grateful.
He later says “your actions freed a continent and built a better world. You risked everything and we owe you everything. We cannot possibly hope to repay that debt but we can, and we must, pledge never to forget.”
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Royal British Legion D-Day veterans were applauded as they arrived at the UK national commemorative event.
Albert Keir, 98, from Derbyshire, smiled and waved as he was the first to be wheeled in.
Rishi Sunak has arrived at the D-Day commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, France.
The prime minister arrived with his wife Akshata Murty at the Memorial Entrance and will address an audience gathered to mark the 80th anniversary of the invasion later in the morning.
Sunak shook hands with Grant Shapps as he walked along a receiving line of military officials.
Here are some of the latest pictures from the pictures agencies
Stories of D-day veterans
For the 80th anniversary of D-day, people shared their relatives’ experiences of the largest seaborne invasion in history with the Guardian.
‘He was only 18 at the time’
My uncle James (Jim) M Walker was a member of the crew of US LST-538, which landed on Omaha beach on D-day. Born in 1926, he was only 18 at the time. He wrote a remarkable letter to my parents describing trying to repair a broken landing craft on the beach, dodging shells and bullets, and – most remarkably – being torpedoed by a German S-boat on the way back to London, where it was put into dry dock on the Isle of Dogs.
While his ship was being towed across the Channel, and because they had been torpedoed before, the men were frightened and slept on deck, not in their bunks. When they saw V-1 rockets in the sky, they had never seen anything like it before, but assumed it was one of Hitler’s vengeance weapons. They feared they had lost the war because of the effect the rockets would have. Walker died in 2010, aged 84, in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Bill Walker, 79, retired college administrator, Staunton, Virginia, US
‘Getting on to the beach was very hazardous’
My father, Rex Richard Joseph Wintle, born 8 September 1924 in Cheltenham, was a D-day veteran who drove supplies of all kinds, from food to ammunition.
He was part of the initial invasion force that landed on Gold beach shortly after D-day. They waited in the Channel because of terrible weather and many of them were very seasick and lost track of what day it was. Many of them could not swim, so getting on to the beach was very hazardous.
He finally passed away on 13 August 2016 from his war injuries (a piece of shrapnel moved and pierced his colon; due to his advanced age of nearly 90, he was unable to fight off the infection). This is just a small description of the true bravery of ordinary soldiers who gave us our freedom. Shirley Kelly, 66, retired NHS worker, Malvern, Worcestershire
‘They hadn’t seen each other all war and ended up in the same foxhole’
My father-in-law, Robert Cameron Brunton Murray, was one of 13 siblings. In 1944, two of his brothers were in the navy and both served on D-day delivering troops to one of the beaches. William (Bill) Leonardo Quilietti Murray was born on 11 June 1921, and Leonardo (Leo) Murray was born on 16 December 1924, both in Edinburgh.
Leo’s craft got into difficulties and had to be towed – by Bill’s. They hadn’t seen each other all war and ended up in the same foxhole, where Bill gave his brother a pair of socks to wear as Leo’s boots and socks were soaked. This initiated a longstanding joke: every time they met, Bill would ask for his socks back and Leo would say, “He’s never going to let me forget this”. Haward Soper, 69, honorary associate professor of law, Leicester
Read the full story here
The British prime minister Rishi Sunak will miss the major international ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day but the Labour leader Keir Starmer will attend alongside world leaders at the Omaha Beach event.
Sunak is attending events in Normandy including speaking at the major British ceremony, but he will not be present alongside leaders including Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden at the international gathering.
With the general election campaign in full swing, the Tory leader will head back to the UK - but his rival Starmer will be at the high-profile international event in Normandy.
The Prince of Wales and senior ministers will represent the UK at the international event, joining more than 25 heads of state and veterans for the official ceremony on Omaha Beach, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer.
A total of 156,115 men landed in Normandy in the early hours of 6 June 1944, but French officials estimate that a mere 200 veterans, mostly Americans but also British and Canadians, have returned to the scene of battle this time. The Royal British Legion brought 20 veterans back to the beaches, compared with the 255 in 2019 for the 75th commemorations.
Each of the events in England and northern France has been curated in the knowledge that this is likely to be the final opportunity to hear the testimony of those who were there, and to thank them in person.
The allied invasion of Normandy was – and remains – the largest amphibious assault ever carried out. More than 75,000 British, Canadian, and other Commonwealth troops landed on the beaches alongside the United States and the Free French. Another 7,900 British troops landed by air with the support of more than 7,000 ships and smaller vessels.
The piper who began the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy by playing a lament at sea at the exact moment of the beach invasion in 1944 said he was “totally humbled” by the experience.
Major Trevor Macey-Lillie said he felt “totally humbled and privileged to be coming off the landing craft that docks onto the beaches, the same as those guys, those young soldiers many, many years ago - 80 years ago today.
“Totally outstanding - wouldn’t have missed it for the world. The memories of all those guys here.”
Maj Macey-Lillie added it was important “to represent them and to keep the memory alive for all those past soldiers and the ones that are still with us today”.
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What's happening today?
Here is a schedule of the main events
9.30am BST British Normandy Memorial service in Ver-sur-Mer – King Charles and Queen Camilla will join veterans at the British Normandy Memorial. It is the king’s first official overseas engagement since his cancer diagnosis. The service includes a tribute from the Red Arrows and performances from musicians.
10am BST Canadian Commemorative Event – Prince William will be in attendance at the Juno Beach Centre in Courseulles-sur-Mer.
11am BST Rishi Sunak will attend as the king and queen open the Winston Churchill Education and Learning Centre
12.30pm BST US Commemorative Event – Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron speak after meeting veterans at the Normandy American Cemetery where there will be a 21 gun salute.
2pm BST The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will attend the Royal British Legion’s service of remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum.
2.30pm BST International ceremony at Omaha Beach – over 25 heads of state, including Biden and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy, veterans, officials honour the troops who landed on the beach at D-Day.
3pm BST An 80-strong boat flotilla parade in Falmouth. Around 27,000 American troops departed from the Falmouth area to travel to Normandy in 1944 as part of the D-Day landings.
7.30pm BST The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester to attend D-Day 80: Remembering the Normandy Landings at the Royal Albert Hall, London
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King Charles and Queen Camilla will open a new educational centre at the site of the British Normandy memorial in France on Thursday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
The Winston Churchill Centre for Education and Learning will house two exhibition galleries, curated by the Royal British Legion, telling the stories of those who fought on D-Day and in the Battle of Normandy. The centre will also feature a purpose-built classroom to host school groups, teaching them how the landings were possible.
For the first time this June, the British Normandy Memorial overlooking Gold beach, one of the two where British forces landed, is hosting the major anniversary commemoration.
The memorial near Ver-sur-Mer records the names of the 22,442 servicemen and women under British command, but of many nationalities, who lost their lives on D-day and during the Battle of Normandy in the summer of 1944.
Built at a cost of £27m, it only came to being after the former BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell, while working in Normandy for radio, was introduced to George Batts, formerly a soldier in the Royal Engineers, at the 70th commemorations in 2015.
Speaking to the Guardian, Witchell said Batts had been “trying to do something about it for several years, but hadn’t really got anywhere and he asked if I would help”.
The BBC journalist joined forces with the architect Liam O’Connor, who designed the British armed forces memorial in Staffordshire and the Bomber Command memorial in London.
The site was formally inaugurated by Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron on 6 June 2019 – the 75th anniversary – but few could travel for its public opening in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic.
Witchell said Batts, who died in 2022, had only started campaigning for the memorial in his final years, and that this was typical of the wartime generation.
“After the war, Britain was bankrupt, and the British people, I think, wanted to move on. We just didn’t have the resources or the willpower by the late 40s. And then the moment had gone, really, and it has perhaps been for the postwar generation to pick it up again,” Witchell said.
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Today’s commemorations in Normandy began with a military piper playing a lament at sea at the exact moment of the beach invasion in 1944.
At Gold Beach in Arromanches, Major Trevor Macey-Lillie paid tribute to fallen veterans, who led the biggest seaborne invasion in military history, by playing Highland Laddie as he came ashore.
The piece was also to remember a lone piper who played in the Normandy landings and was never shot at.
Major Macey-Lillie began in a landing craft utility before being driven up the beach in a DUKW amphibious vehicle.
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Analysis: anniversary comes at time of conflict and growing carelessness
Twenty-two British D-day veterans, the youngest nearly 100, crossed the Channel on Tuesday to mark this week’s 80th anniversary of the landings in Normandy, representing a thinning thread to the heroics of two or three generations ago when about 150,000 allied soldiers began a seaborne invasion of western Europe that helped end the second world war.
Ron Hayward, a tank trooper who lost his legs fighting in France three weeks after D-day, told crowds assembled in Portsmouth on Wednesday why he and other soldiers were there: “I represent the men and women who put their lives on hold to go and fight for democracy and this country. I am here to honour their memory and their legacy, and to ensure that their story is never forgotten.”
There will not be many more opportunities to commemorate with survivors, while this time the presence of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in France on 6 June will be a reminder that a part of Europe is in the grip of the largest war since 1945. A deadly war also rages in Gaza, while the living memory of the second world war fades into historical record.
While leaders present at Thursday’s commemorations in Normandy – King Charles, Rishi Sunak, Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz – will strike appropriate notes, many of those representing forces of division will not be present, not least Vladimir Putin, the architect of the invasion on Ukraine.
On Friday, Biden is due to speak at Pointe du Hoc, where 80 years ago 225 US Rangers scaled 35-metre sheer cliffs using rope ladders shot over the top to capture a strategically situated artillery bunker. It was perhaps the most dangerous single mission on D-day, and casualties were severe. Only 90 were still able to fight when a count was taken a couple of days later.
There is almost certainly another reason for the location of Biden’s address, given the US president has an election to fight. Forty years ago a Republican president, Ronald Reagan, spoke on the cliffs at the same battle site, and in front of an audience of military veterans he justified the struggle of the day in terms not obviously recognisable in Donald Trump’s Republican worldview.
I am on a media bus racing through the French countryside via a police escort on my way to the British Normandy memorial which is located close to the village of Ver sur Mer, and overlooks Gold beach, one of the two where the bulk of British forces landed on the morning of 6 June 1944.
The British commemorative event will start at 9.30am UK time. The prime minister Rishi Sunak, the King and Queen and French president Emmanuel Macron will be attending.
It is the first time the memorial which was officially opened in 2021 has been at the centre of the D-Day commemorations, and it is likely the last time that such significant numbers of veterans will be in attendance on such a landmark day of remembrance.
French officials estimate that just 200 veterans have travelled to Normandy this year, mainly Americans. The Royal British Legion have assisted 20 men in coming over from the UK.
The British service starts at 9.30am UK time and ends an hour later.
Then at 14.30 UK time there will be international event at Omaha Beach, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, where the US president Joe Biden and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy will be among 25 heads of state and government honouring the sacrifices of 80 years ago.
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Royals and world leaders to mark 80 years since D-day
Royals and world leaders are gathering with veterans in northern France today to mark 80 years since the D-day landings.
The seaborne invasion, which was the largest in history, saw more than 150,000 allied troops invade Normandy in a turning point of the second world war.
Memorial events are planned in France and also the UK, for those veterans unable to travel to France.
Yesterday, King Charles paid tribute to D-day veterans at a commemorative event in Portsmouth.
Charles said their “stories of courage, resilience and solidarity” move, inspire and “remind us of what we owe to that great wartime generation – now, tragically, dwindling to so few”.
He said:
Those who gathered here in Portsmouth would never forget the sight. It was by far the largest military fleet the world has ever known. Yet all knew that both victory and failure were possible, and none could know their fate.
Aircrew flying overhead, sailors manning warships; or troops in assault craft battering their way through the stormy swell to the shore; whether dropping by parachute, landing in a wooden glider, or taking that terrible leap of faith on to the beaches … all must have questioned whether they would survive and how they would respond when faced with such mortal danger.
