Events continued well into the evening in the French seaside town as soldiers, veterans, officials and members of the public gathered for remembrance events in England and France .
This time exactly 77 years ago, they were nervously waiting to board their ships, planes, gliders and landing craft. Some were terrified, a few were excited, most just wanted to get it over with. But they all did their duty. And more than 24,000 of them never came home.
Yet it has taken all this time for Britain’s Normandy heroes to be honoured with a proper, national memorial in the place where they fell.
However, at long last, their surviving comrades and all their loved ones can rest assured that this country has finally done the decent thing.
It has taken 77 years for Britain’s Normandy heroes to be honoured with a proper, national memorial in the place where they fell