<
A two-hour event was held at
Arromanches-les-Bains to remember and commemorate the Normandy
Landings. It was organised by the Surrey Branch of the Normandy
Veterans Association, and included a veterans parade and wreath
layings, near the D-Day museum to honour the event, which saw
the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division form the bulk of
the man-power at Gold Beach, and 79th (Armoured)
Division, 231st Infantry Brigade , 69th
Brigade and No. 47 (Royal Marine) Commando land alongside
them. Despite the initial fierce opposition, the German defences
were broken with relatively few casualties.
The assistance of the 79th (Armoured) Division, which had the use
of Hobart’s Funnies, unusually modified tanks, proved essential,
clearing minefields, bridging ditches and assisting exiting the
beaches with track-ways. By midday, most of the beach was
controlled by the Allied forces.
As the Royal couple arrived, the bagpipes were playing, and they
spoke with a history expert who told them more about the day, and
that Arromanches was hoped to be preserved, and not obliterated due
to fighting there. Military vehicles, like the ones used on
Gold Beach, were displayed for the public to see. 22,000
Union Jacks have also been laid.
It is on this beach, 5 miles wide, that William and Kate
commemorated the soldiers’ daring feat; 4,413 Allied soldiers
were killed on D-Day, and around 1/4 of them were British –
400 casualties were taken on Gold Beach.
The Duke of Cambridge delivering a speech at #DDay70 #dday pic.twitter.com/FIBsHRQx7I
— Royal Reporter (@RoyalReporterUK) June 6, 2014
Veterans and their families attended the commemoration.
Historian Dan Snow gave a speech, encouraging remembrance of the
Second World War, and naming individual soldiers for their service.
Veterans were wheeled in front of the stage, or walked if they were
able, and received rounds of applause as they passed the
public, as well as from The Duke and Duchess.
The Duke gave a speech for the commemoration, saying: “it is vital
that this sacrifice, and the reasons for this sacrifice, are never
forgotten.”
Percy Lewis, a veteran of the Normandy Landings, gave a reading
too, from “Ode of
Remembrance” taken from Laurence Binyon‘s poem, “For the Fallen”, which was
followed by The Last Post; 17 French veterans of WWII received
the highest French honour available to them, the Legion of Honour
(Légion d’honneur).
William laid a poppy wreath alone for the service of the fallen,
and their comrades, and the whole congregation of people sang ‘Land
of Hope and Glory’, as well as a rendition of ‘Auld Lang Syne’
after prayers were said.
William and Catherine earlier attended a
tea-party with veterans of D-Day.
photo credit: martin_vmorris via photopin cc]]>
