D-Day veterans mark anniversary to ‘remember our friends who never came home'
The Rev Simon d'Albertanson, a Royal Navy chaplain and the chaplain for the Spirit of Normandy Trust, led a memorial service at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, describing D-Day as a 'seminal moment in history'.
He reminded veterans, officials and members of the public that the legacy of D-Day was vitally important given the conflict and 'troubled times that we live in'.
(Left to right) Royal Navy D-Day veteran John Dennett, D-Day veteran and ambassador for the British Normandy Memorial Ken Hay, Royal Navy D-Day veteran Henry Rice, Royal Marines D-Day veteran Jim Grant, Royal Navy D-Day veteran Ken Benbow, Royal Navy veteran George Boothby, D-Day Army veteran Richard Brock, ATS veteran Marjorie Hanson and RAF veteran Gilbert Clarke during a wreath-laying ceremony at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, France (Gareth Fuller/PA)
The Normandy landings took place on June 6 1944, when Allied forces opened a Second Front by invading Nazi-occupied France.
A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself.
Mr d'Albertanson said: 'This was a seminal moment in history, and we forget it at our peril.
'There's a legacy that builds from the different conflicts, and we live in very troubled times right now, and we need men and women who are fighting for peace.
'As a Christian, one of the lines in the Bible is 'Blessed are the peacemakers'.
'We're called to make peace and sometimes that means we have to bring violence, but that's the last resort.
'We want to be peacemakers.'
Two of the chaplain's own relatives fought during the Second World War.
His grandfather, Fred Hawker, joined the Royal Marines in 1942 and served on a number of ships including HMS Ark Royal, while his great-uncle, a Royal Navy sailor, lost his life during the Battle of the Denmark Strait.
Mr d'Albertanson said: 'It's an absolute honour and a privilege to be a part of this.
'This is all about the veterans and honouring the fallen, those who gave their lives, for our freedom.
'Being here brings it to life.
'It makes you realise what you're involved in, the men and women of the armed forces today – and as chaplains we go with them.'
One veteran in attendance, Ken Hay MBE, 99, was just 18 when he landed at Courseulles-sur-Mer on D-Day +5.
He was captured on the night of July 7-8 and was taken to Zabrze in Poland where he worked as a prisoner of war in a coal mine.
D-Day veteran and ambassador for the British Normandy Memorial Ken Hay, 99, at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer (Gareth Fuller/PA)
As the Russians approached, the prisoners were taken to a new location, approximately 1,000 miles away, during which many of them died.
Eventually they were liberated by American troops and Mr Hay returned to the UK via Reims, arriving on May 4.
He laid a wreath at the memorial service in Ver-sur-Mer alongside other veterans.
Mr Hay said: 'Even though the 80th anniversary has passed, we veterans still feel it is our duty to come back here and remember all our friends who never came home.
'We get applauded, even though they are the ones who gave it all.
'Sharing my stories with children in the UK and France is something I am very passionate about.
'We are the age of their great-grandparents – we experienced it, understand it and know that it should never happen again.'
Defence Secretary John Healey also attended events commemorating D-Day, alongside politicians from the United States and France.
Defence Secretary John Healey (centre) lays a wreath during a ceremony at the British Normandy Memorial to mark the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings (Gareth Fuller/PA)
He said: 'We forever owe an enormous debt to the British and Allied forces who landed in Normandy 81 years ago today, determined to defeat Nazi tyranny and restore peace to western Europe.
'As we reset the nation's contract with our armed forces, we will continue to remember all those who served to defend our values.'
Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in France on D-Day.
Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada.
Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with General Charles de Gaulle.
The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces.
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