onjune 6th, 191m along sword, juno, gold, omaha and utah beaches tens of thousands of troops took part in the largest ever seaborne invasion. it helped drive nazi forces from france ahead of germany s eventual defeat the following year. today president macron hosted a centrepiece event close to omaha beach; us president, joe biden, warned that democracy in europe was once again under threat, in the wake of russia s invasion of ukraine. earlier, at the new british national memorial at gold beach a service of commemoration. the king laid a wreath for the fallen. and alongside the solemn ceremonies, it s also been a chance for attendees to meet and speak with the guests of honour the veterans themselves each of whom played such an important part in one of the defining days in european history. bagpipes. memories fade. the living testimonies dwindle. but at dawn today, on the beaches of normandy, they remembered. making their own 80th anniversary normandy landing, a
quite calm, funnily enough, saying, do you think we ve had it? suddenly, there was an almighty crash and a shell came and it plum hit the vehicle, went right through to the bottom. when the dust cleared, i turned round and the man laying where you are to me, he was dead and black from head to foot, cos he must have taken the whole force of the blast. and all the others, the company commander, sergeant major, the driver they were all killed except me. i remember when i got myself up and found out they were all dead and ifelt this burning, i thought, i must be on fire. i remember going on the ground and rolling and that didn t do much good. so that was a nasty experience, being the only person of seven who survived. live from london. this is bbc news. d day veterans are at the heart of commemorations in normandy on the 80th anniversary of the allied landings on the beaches of normandy. our obligation to remember them, what they stood for and what they achieved for us all
but at dawn today, on the beaches of normandy, they remembered. making their own 80th anniversary normandy landing, a group of royal marines, wading ashore as those before them had done in 1944. but these are now peaceful waters, thanks to the sacrifices made on d day. archive: this is it, | they re on the beach. few truly understood the onslaught they d face. young men, thrust into the brutality of war. 80 years on, those who survived and grew old honoured lost friends. it is all because of gummy s quick thinking, his desire to help those around him, that i can stand before you today. i wish i could tell him i have never taken his sacrifice for granted. and we ll always remember him and ourfriends. so, gummy, thank you, my old friend. a tribute, from the one who made it home. at the british normandy memorial, the service of commemoration put the veterans centre stage. relegated to the back rows, the king and queen, and president macron. watching the service wasjoe mines. he
today, president macron hosted a centrepiece event close to omaha beach. us presidentjoe biden warned that democracy in europe was once again under threat, in the wake of russia s invasion of ukraine. earlier, at the new british national memorial at gold beach, a service of commemoration. the king laid a wreath for the fallen. and alongside the solemn ceremonies, it s also been a chance for attendees to meet and speak with the guests of honour, the veterans themselves, each of whom played such an important part in one of the defining days in european history. our correspondent daniela relph looks back now at the day s events. bagpipes memories fade. the living testimonies dwindle. but at dawn today, on the beaches of normandy, they remembered. making their own 80th anniversary normandy landing, a group of royal marines, wading ashore as those before them had done in 1944. but these are now peaceful waters, thanks to the sacrifices made on d day. archive: this is it, | they re
audiences around the world. tom brook, bbc news, new york. let s return to our top story, as we have been reporting across bbc news today. events have taken place in the uk as well, including a service of remembrance at the national memorial arboretum in staffordshire. 0ur correspondent duncan kennedy reports. fanfare. it s the place set aside for national reflection, where the country gathers to remember. today, it was where veterans and families came to honour the fallen, recognise service and pay homage to sacrifice. at the going down in the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. no tally of passing decades can erase the traumas of d day, some of the veterans comforted