One of the most poignant moments of this week s D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations came as the actor Martin Freeman recited the words of veteran Joe Mines in Ver-sur-Mer.
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.
applause 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.
joe mines, 2nd battalion essex regiment, landed here on gold beach 80 years ago today. he joins us and allowed me to share these memories with you: applause i ve never been back here for 80 years. i ve often thought, what do i go back for? after all the terrible things i ve seen. it s like a picture book up there. i can visualise everything. i landed onjune the 6th, 1944 at a place called ver sur mer. the germans pulled back, so it allowed us to clear the mines on the beach. that was the firstjob i got
Mary Banotti, a grand-niece of revolutionary leader Michael Collins, a member of the European Parliament for 20 years and a lifelong activist on social issues, has died at the age of 84.