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Arrow Right PhOtOs-DDay 70th Anniversary Thanks 'Freedom' Heros

World Leaders Gathered in Normandy to Mark the 70th Anniversary of D-Day - June 6 1944




Sorrow and Rememberance....

D-Day 70th anniversary celebrations end in spectacular style with huge daytime fireworks display as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet British veterans for tea party




Marching Tall: History & People Remember Landing Zone of Juno Beach
  • Veterans saluted on the beaches at dawn and downed Calvados at 6.30am - the moment the landings started
  • Day of remembrance and celebration started at 12.16am at Pegasus Bridge, where the first troops landed
  • Queen meets veterans and salutes the 'immense and heroic' endeavour of them and their comrades 70 years ago
  • Barack Obama speaks at U.S. war cemetery and speaks of how 150,000 fought at time of 'maximum peril for the world'
  • For many veterans, now in their 80s and 90s, this could be their annual pilgrimage to honour the 156,000 Allied troops
By Daily Mail UK, 6 June 2014


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in Normandy to meet British veterans who risked their lives on D-Day.
They joined a tea party with former soldiers after events commemorating the invasion's 70th anniversary ended in style with a firework display in front of world leaders at Sword Beach in Ouistreham.
The Duke of Cambridge made a speech during an memorial event in Arromanches-les-Bains - paying tribute to those who gave their lives 70 years ago today.
He said: 'They gave up everything for our freedom. They lie now together in the beautifully kept cemeteries that lie on the coast.'
'However, today is also about the young. It is vital for them that they remember the sacrifice made by so many.'




The Duchess of Cambridge smiled as she listened to stories from Second World War veterans during a tea party held as part of D-Day anniversary celebrations








Ceremony: Meanwhile, President Obama shared a laugh with Queen Maxima of Holland during an event on Sword Beach





The Queen shares a smile next to Danish Queen Margrethe (wearing blue) as Francois Hollande prepares to give a speech before a reenactment of the landings




President Obama stands next to The Queen during one of numerous ceremonies held in the region this afternoon


Earlier in the day, the Queen led tributes to the 'immense and heroic endeavour' of the 150,000 Allied troops who attacked Nazi-occupied Franceon June 6 1944.

Surrounded by thousands of war graves Her Majesty bowed as she laid a wreath during a poignant service of remembrance in Bayeux, the first town in Normandy to be freed from Hitler's grip.
The Queen thanked the gathered veterans at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery and said it was 'an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and the incredible sacrifices that were made'.

Ten miles away U.S. President Barack Obama spoke at the American War Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer where almost 10,000 U.S troops who died in the Second World War are buried.'




The royal couple talk to a serviceman as they arrive for their meeting with veterans





The Duke and Duchess stopped before attending the tea party to look across the historic Gold Beach in Arromanches





The Duchess animatedly chatted to attendees at the event this afternoon - held metres away from Gold Beach






After the tea party, the royal couple attended a ceremony at Gold Beach - where the Duke of Cambridge made an emotional speech in tribute to those who fell 70 years ago





Respect: The Duke of Cambridge lays a wreath during the anniversary event. In an earlier speech, he said the fallen 'gave everything for our freedom'





Wreath: Hundreds of veterans attended the ceremony along with the royal couple as part of numerous events held today


Flanked by war heroes, President Obama said they and their comrades 'turned the tide in that common struggle for freedom' on D-Day.'
We come to remember why America and our allies gave so much for the survival of liberty at this moment of maximum peril', Obama said.
'More than 150,000 soldiers set off towards this tiny sliver of sand on which not just the direction of the war hung, rather the course the human history'.
He added that the American commitment to liberty that is 'written in blood' on the beaches of Normandy and would 'endure' and continue.




Putting on a show: Artists perform in front of fireworks during the international D-Day commemoration ceremony in Ouistreham, in Normandy





World leaders rise: Barack Obama and The Queen stand to face Sword Beach, the entry point for thousands of British troops 70 years ago








Moment of joy: Prince Charles breaks out in laughter as he greets Barack Obama during the international ceremony. The US President scratches his head in response





Unity: The Queen walks alongside her husband The Duke of Edinburgh and Francois Hollande. Around 29,000 Allied troops landed on Sword Beach on June 6 1944


President Obama described D-Day's violent scene in vivid terms, recalling that 'by daybreak, blood soaked the water' and 'thousands of rounds bit into flesh and sand.'

'And we come to tell the story of the men and women who did it, so that it remains seared into the memory of the future world.
'These men waged war so that we might know peace.

'They sacrificed so that we might be free. They fought in hopes of a day when we'd no longer need to fight. We are grateful to them.'

French President Francois Hollande issued a rallying cry to the world calling on nations to fight against threats to peace just as the D-Day troops did 70 years ago.








United in grief: D-Day veteran Douglas Turtle, 91, wipes away a tear during the service of commemoration in Portsmouth today while across the Channel Gordon Drabble, 89, from Sheffield, recently awarded the Legion D'Honeur, visits the grave of a fallen comrade in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, Bayeux





'Heroes, every one': A Norwegian Second World War veteran is cheered at joint French-Norwegian D-Day commemoration ceremony in Hermanville-sur-Mer in Normandy





International pose: President Barack Obama (front left) and French President Francois Hollande (middle) stand with
The Queen (second left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (front right) and David Cameron (back left) for a photo outside the Chateau Benouville








Troupe: Alpha jets, part of the Patrouille Acrobatique de France, leave trails of smoke in the colors of the French flag during the ceremony








Reenactment: Actors run in front of a big screen showing Winston Churchill (right), Franklin Roosevelt (centre) and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin (left). Other actors lay on the canvas, pretending to be dead, as part of the show






Respect: On the 70th anniversary of D-Day the Queen takes a moment to bow her head in front of a memorial at the British War Cemetery of Bayeux in Normandy today


In a moving address delivered on the very Normandy beach stormed by British troops 70 years ago, Mr Hollande said people needed the same courage as the Allied forces who fought and died to end Nazi tyranny.

To loud applause from an audience of veterans and heads of state Mr Hollande also said he wanted to see the beaches of Normandy become a UNESCO World Heritage site.


THE QUEEN'S MESSAGE TO THE WORLD AS WE REMEMBER D-DAY





Quote:
'I am very pleased to be able to join veterans here in Normandy to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

'On June 6 1944 after months of planning and training, the largest amphibious assault in history was launched to secure freedom in Europe.

'Hundreds of thousands of servicemen made the journey across the Channel by sea and air, and through their brave actions and dogged determination, established a vital foothold in occupied Europe.

'This immense and heroic endeavour brought the end of the Second World War within reach.

'I am sure that these commemorations will provide veterans of the conflict and their families gathered here in France, along with their hosts, the people of Normandy, with an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and the incredible sacrifices that were made.'
Mr Hollande said it was the world’s duty to fight extremism and fundamentalism adding: 'It’s up to us to have the same vision, the same courage, to be just as bright and have the same determination as those who came to these beaches 70 years ago.'

He said the threats to cohesion today ranged from terrorism to global warming and mass unemployment and that they could cause conflict.

Archive black and white movie footage and performers were used to tell the the story of the atrocities of the Nazi regime and the exploits of the Allied troops whose invasion of mainland Europe would eventually lead to the downfall of Hitler’s regime.

At daybreak veterans who stormed the beaches of Normandy exactly 70 years agotoday saluted towards the English Channel at dawn to mark the moment they and their friends started the D-Day assault.
Beaches that in 1944 were being pulverised by shells and gunfire and strewn with the brave wounded and dying were silent this morning as men who fought and survived remembered those who lost their lives in Nazi-occupied France.
They stared out to sea and the empty horizon, which 70 years ago would have been swamped by landing crafts and ships filled with brave men.
A day of international commemorations of history's biggest amphibious invasion was started at just after midnight with a vigil at the Pegasus Bridge, marking the first assault of the D-Day invasion when Allied soldiers landed in the dead of night exactly 70 years ago.
At 12.16am a team of six Horsa gliders carrying 181 men from the Glider Pilot Regiment and the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, landed silently to capture the strategically-vital bridge and another nearby, paving the way for soldiers landing on the Normandy beaches to move inland and reinforce their airborne colleagues.
To mark that moment fireworks burst into the night sky as hundreds watched on.

Attending the midnight vigil at Pegasus Bridge, Prime Minister David Cameron said: 'People of my generation just find it hard to believe what people of my grandfather's generation did to ensure we can all live in freedom.
'When you hear the stories of the people coming back again in their nineties of what they did and how brave they were, how many people they lost, it just is incredibly humbling.'







World leaders photo: The Queen (centre wearing green hat) stands next to Barack Obama (to her left) and Francois Hollande (right) after a lunch at the Chateau De Benoville. They were also joined by the King of Norway (front row in military uniform), Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot (far right), Angela Merkel (to his left) and David Cameron (back middle)





Gathering: The French President called on nations to fight against threats to peace just as the D-Day troops during a luncheon for Heads of State. (from left to right) Barack Obama, The Queen, Queen Margrethe and Vladimir Putin are sat at the top table









Regal: The Queen approaches the memorial at Bayeux with a wreath commemorating the soldiers who died on the beaches of northern France 70 years ago






Royal salute: (Left to right) The Duke of Edinburgh, French Interior Minister Manuel Valls, The Queen, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla stand together as the ceremony at Bayeux begins





Windy: Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, holds on to her hat in a gust of wind during the Bayeux Cemetery commemorations





Reaction: Prince Philip appeared emotional as he listened to speeches at the cemetery where nearly 4,000 former British soldiers are buried





Mother and son: Prince Charles and The Queen share a moment together in the midst of the commemoration ceremony in Bayeux





Leaders: (from left to right) Governor-General of New Zealand Jerry Mateparae, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott lay wreaths during a bi-national France-UK D-Day commemoration ceremony





Greeting: The Queen raises a smile as she talks to a veteran while walking through the grounds of the British War Cemetery





Royal guest: Holding a brochure, she continues talking to a group of former soldiers who risked their lives on June 6 1944





Front row: David Cameron sits alongside his wife Samantha during the bi-national ceremony at the British War Ceremony in Bayeux






Message: Prince Charles delivers a speech from a podium alongside the tall memorial to Britain's fallen troops





Flypast: Four planes soar over the British War Cemetery in Bayeux where The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall paid respects to fallen soldiers





Magic moment: Prime Minister David Cameron meets a veteran at Bayeux Cemetery where thousands of British soldiers are buried


British veterans of the D-Day landings honoured their fallen comrades during a poignant service of remembrance in Normandy attended by the Queen.

Surrounded by war graves, old soldiers, sailors and airmen gathered with senior members of the Royal Family and Prime Minister David Cameron in the town of Bayeux to pay their respects.


Quote:

'We come to remember why America and our allies gave so much for the survival of liberty at its moment of maximum peril.
'And we come to tell the story of the men and women who did it, so that it remains seared into the memory of the future world.
'These men waged war so that we might know peace. They sacrificed so that we might be free. They fought in hopes of a day when we'd no longer need to fight. We are grateful to them'
- U.S. President Barack Obama
Bayeux, a quiet French town close to the coast, was the first to be freed from Nazi control during the campaign.

The town's military graveyard was a fitting place to stage the open-air service as it is the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery of the Second World War in France, with more than 4,000 burials.

In bright summer sunshine the service of hymns and prayers was staged with military clergy conducting proceedings.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, on a three-day state visit to France, were joined by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

Mr Cameron was accompanied by his wife Samantha and the couple had attended an earlier Royal British Legion service of remembrance at Bayeux Cathedral with Charles and Camilla and veterans.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband were among the congregation for the open-air service at the cemetery as was Foreign Secretary William Hague and Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Moments after the Queen arrived a fly-past of historic aircraft - two Spitfires, a Dakota and a Lancaster bomber - roared overhead as they flew in formation.

At the start of the service the Reverend Patrick Irwin, the Royal British Legion Chaplain to Normandy, told the congregation: 'Here in this cemetery we are reminded of the true cost of D-Day whose 70th anniversary we mark today.

'We pay tribute to the dead and welcome enthusiastically the veterans for whose courage and devotion we are most grateful.

'This is a British cemetery and most of the graves in this place are British but D-Day involved many nations and many nations are represented here.'








Escort: The Queen is taken to the stage after arriving at the British War Cemetery (left). Prince Charles looks on as the Royal party arrives for the ceremony (right)





Gaze: Prince Charles, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Queen and Minister Manuel Valls look up at the memorial as they step out of their car






Pleased to meet you: The Queen shakes the hand of a veteran who invaded the beaches of Normandy




Awning: Under the shade of a tent, The Duke of Edinburgh, Manuel Valls, The Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla look out over the grass to the memorial





Reading: The Royal guests bow their heads to look at the ceremony's programme while Manuel Valls looks into the crowds


During the service, the Ode of Remembrance, which begins with the memorable line 'They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old', was read by veteran Eddie Slater.

He is national chairman of the Normandy Veterans Association, whose numbers have fallen to around 600 from some 15,000.

The organisation will disband in November and its national standard will be laid up at a service in London.

The Last Post was played and the gathered veterans, their families and the dignitaries paused for a minute's silence.

Charles gave the lesson, reading from the Bible's book of Romans and later joined the leading figures in laying a wreath at a monument in the cemetery.

The Queen and France's prime pinister Manuel Valls laid floral tributes and were followed by the Prince, and Mr Cameron and his Australian counterpart Mr Abbott.

Charles wore his no 5 uniform as admiral of the fleet as did Philip, who is the same rank. Camilla was dressed in an ivory crepe coat dress made specially for the occasion by French designer Christian Dior and a Philip Treacy hat.

She also wore a brooch from her father's cavalry regiment, the Lancers.

Her father, Major Bruce Shand, a cavalry officer, won the Military Cross twice before being shot and captured shortly after the decisive Second World War battle of El Alamein in North Africa.

At the end of the service, the Queen met some of the veterans who are likely to be making their last visit to the beaches of Normandy.

Among the congregation was Roy Harding, 91, who was a private with No 6 Commando, when he stormed 'Sword Beach', the codename for the easternmost of the five beaches targeted on D-Day, and assaulted by the 3rd British Infantry Division.

The retired barrister, originally from London but now living in Australia, said: 'When I hit the beach there was a man in front of me and a shell landed in the water, he keeled over.

'He'd lost an eye and his shoulder was smashed. I wasn't touched, just splashed with water - and I took him to the medics.

'The East Yorkshire Regiment had the job of holding the beach and the commandos came through - they had a terrible time, there were bodies on the beach.'

He fought his way across Europe with his unit in the months following D-Day and reached Germany.

Mr Harding added: 'I shan't be coming over ever again, this is my last trip. I was here for the 65th anniversary and I've been here 12 times.'





Blue: President Hollande and Barack Obama look out over beach and out towards the Channel as it glistens in the sun




Conversation: Barack Obama turns his head to talk to the French President as they gaze at the spots where Allied forces would have landed in 1944




View: After looking out over Omaha Beach, the pair return inland and head to a commemorative lunch with the heads of state who have attended the day's commemorations





US President Barack Obama (R) and French President Francois Hollande (L) stand during a joint French-US D-Day commemoration ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-mer




Pledge: Obama said that America's commitment to liberty and freedom is written in blood in the beaches of Normandy and would 'endure and return'





Personal moment: President Obama closes his eyes as he remembers soldiers killed on the beaches. Veterans behind him salute their fallen colleagues





Formation: President Obama and President Hollande look up as three fighter jets speed over the American cemetery in Normandy where 9,5000 US troops are buried





Bow: The two presidents bow their heads in front of a wreath which has been set up in front of the memorial. Soldiers line a path to their right





Deep in thought: President Obama listens to Francois Hollande's speech through headphones as it is translated





Cheers: Barack Obama asked the assembled crowds to clap and cheer the veterans as he spoke of how they had fought at a time of 'maximum peril' for the world




Salute: French President Francois Hollande and Barack Obama are flanked by serving soldiers as they arrive at the Normandy American Cemetery at Omaha Beach




Together in arms: Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande smile next to veteran Kenneth 'Rock' Merritt as they arrive for the official lunch at Benouville Castle





Military escort: An Osprey accompanies Marine One carrying President Barack Obama over the beaches of Normandy


As the sun rose on the beaches serving soldiers stood at attention at exactly 6.30am - the moment on June 6, 1944 when Allied troops first waded ashore.
The silence was broken as some shouted 'let's go!' and downed shots of Calvados, Normandy's world famous brandy, in a salute to their comrades.

Hundreds of Normandy residents and other onlookers applauded the veterans, then began forming a human chain on the beach.

Up to 19 heads of state, including the Queen and US president Barack Obama, will be on Sword Beach near Ouistreham, one of the five battle zones on Normandy's coastline on June 6, 1944.

The ceremony is expected to mark the high point of the anniversary events, which has seen thousands flock to beaches, cemeteries and villages linked to the momentous landings.

At the Bayeux services guests including French prime minister Manuel Valls and Australian prime minister Tony Abbott packed into the Norman-Romanesque cathedral - the original home of the Bayeux Tapestry - on a day which is expected to mark the high point of the D-Day anniversary events.
Brigadier David Baines, the national president of the Normandy Veterans’ Association, read the lesson - Ecclesiasticus Chapter 44 1 - 14.It included the lines: ;Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth evermore. The people will tell of their wisdom, and the congregation will shew forth their praise.”

The choir of St John’s College Cambridge, directed by Andrew Nethsingha, sung Psalm 121, followed by an address by the Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch, the national chaplain of the RBL.

He told the congregation: 'We come to remember those who from the air, in the water and on the beaches made the supreme sacrifice.'


D-Day as it happened, footage of the troops landing in Normandy....

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