The 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings
On 5 and 6 June 2024, the UK will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day with a series of major events across the UK and in France to honour the brave soldiers who risked their lives for freedom and peace.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer said:
We will forever owe a debt of gratitude to our veterans and the allied forces who fought so courageously at Normandy. On the 80th anniversary, we will remember all those who put their life on the line for our freedom during D-Day, and continue to pay tribute to their brave service to this day.
The personal stories and reflections of surviving D-Day veterans will be at the heart of the event, which will also feature military musicians, a Royal Air Force flypast and moving tributes from special guests. They will commemorate all those who died during the Normandy campaign, and pay tribute to the surviving veterans of D-Day.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:
We must never forget the sacrifices made on D-Day and the selfless courage of the veterans of Normandy. It’s hard to imagine a more noble act than risking your life to defeat tyranny and oppression. I’m proud that the Armed Forces will lead the nation in tributes to the heroes of Normandy in Portsmouth in June.
The 80th anniversary of D-Day will remind us that we can never take peace for granted. With war raging in Europe once again, we must recommit to protect and defend Britain’s peace and freedom with our allies around the world. The alliances we forged on 6 June 1944 are still vital to the UK’s security today.
Events in the UK
The national event wll be held in Portsmouth, where thousands of members of the public will be invited to join D-Day veterans, Armed Forces personnel and VIP guests on Southsea Common.
D-Day veterans will be at the heart of the event, which will also feature military musicians, a Royal Air Force flypast and moving tributes from special guests. The event will be broadcast live in the UK for those unable to attend in person. Further details on how to register for this event will be announced in due course. More details can be found here.
On 6 June a D-Day 80 remembrance service will be held at the National Memorial Arboretum, and other commemorative D-Day 80 UK events can be found here.
Events in France
A number of commemorative events are being held in Normandy on both 5 and 6 June 2024.
And, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, military historians have retold the stories of Normandy veterans with unique or little-known roles in the Normandy campaign. You can read them here.
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