as frank gardner reports. war planes from another time. memories from 80 years ago. today, a chance to honor those men and women who took part in d day, the operation that helped end the second world war. service chiefs, prime ministers past and present, the royalfamily and of course, the veterans. roy haywood was 19 on that day, a trooper in the sherwood rangers. i landed in on the evening of d day, and three weeks later i was so badly damaged that they had to amputate both my legs below the knee. i returned home eventually, and i have to say that i always considered myself one of the lucky ones that survived because so many of us didn t. this was the largest ever amphibious invasion in human history, over150,000 british, us, canadian and french troops landing on normandy s beaches under withering fire from german defenses. let us once again commit ourselves always to remember, cherish and honor those who served that day and to live up to the freedom they died for. honoring
these are live pictures we are receiving this morning from normandy, where of course all of these events took place. 80 years ago. now, let s cross live to normandy to speak to alex fitzgerald black executive director of the juno beach centre association. thejuno beach centre in normandy is where the canadian military landed on d day. canada s prime ministerjustin trudeau will be there today among other world leaders. talk us through the canadian element to today. us through the canadian element totoda. , to today. absolutely, the canadians to today. absolutely, the canadians landed - to today. absolutely, the canadians landed on - to today. absolutely, the i canadians landed on juno to today. absolutely, the - canadians landed on juno beach canadians landed onjuno beach 14,000 canadians landed onjuno beach 1a,000 strong and alongside some british troops, one third of the troops landing onjuno beach were british. the forces were closely integrated. we also had a parachute battalion
need never be made again. our gratitude is ourfaith need never be made again. our gratitude is our faith and need never be made again. our gratitude is ourfaith and our admiration returned. applause some of the veterans memories were read out. i some of the veterans memories were read out. . , some of the veterans memories were read out. read out. i was 19 when i was landed- read out. i was 19 when i was landed. martin read out. i was 19 when i was landed. martin freeman - read out. i was 19 when i was - landed. martin freeman recounted the memories landed. martin freeman recounted the memories of landed. martin freeman recounted the memories of joe landed. martin freeman recounted the memories of joe mines - landed. martin freeman recounted the memories of joe mines on - landed. martin freeman recounted the memories ofjoe mines on his i the memories ofjoe mines on his first return to normandy. so the memories ofjoe mines on his first return to normandy.- first return t
some of the veterans memories were read out. i was 19 when i landed but i was still a boy. the actor martin freeman recounted the words ofjoe mines from the 2nd battalion of the essex regiment, on his first return to normandy. so why would i come back? well, this is the last and only opportunity for me. the last there will ever be, and it s because of the lads. i want to pay my respects to those who didn t make it. may they rest in peace. six miles away onjuno beach, prince william joined canadian veterans. 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 very day. thank you for our freedom and thank you for your service.
commemorated in this way. on the 6th ofjune 1944 troops from the uk, canada, france and the us attacked german forces on the coast of northern france, where you see the ceremony happening. it was the largest military seaborne operation ever attempted and mark the binning marked the beginning of the campaign to liberate nazi occupied north west europe. it involved the simultaneous landing of tens of thousands of troops on five separate beaches on normandy. we saw canadian troops landing onjuno beach and us troops landing onjuno beach and us troops landing onjuno beach and us troops landing just behind where the stage is here on omaha beach. many soldiers lost their lives that day, many are buried in cemeteries around