Queen’s stirring tribute to the heroes of D-Day
THE heroic veterans of D-Day were hailed by the Queen yesterday for their ‘immense bravery, ingenuity and determination’.
She praised the soldiers, sailors and airmen who in June 1944 helped give Europe the freedom it enjoys today.
The Queen wrote a stirring message to the survivors – and for those who never came home.
Published in a brochure marking the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings, the message read: ‘The complex mission required unprecedented cooperation between the armed forces of different nations, who gathered in Britain in huge numbers before making the journey across the Channel.
‘Sailors, soldiers and airmen from 14 nations displayed immense bravery, ingenuity and determination.
‘I am sure that these commemorations will provide an opportunity to honour those who made extraordinary sacrifices to secure freedom in Europe. They must never be forgotten.’
Theresa May, in a foreword to the guide, said the ‘triumph of planning and logistics’ of D-Day remains an ‘unparalleled moment in our history’. The Prime Minister said: ‘It is thanks to their courage and that of our other allies that today Europe is free and at peace. It is thanks to their ingenuity and resolve that today we have the freedom to live our lives the way we wish. We will never forget all that they gave – or the sacrifices of the fallen.’
The messages came as the Allied nations prepared to mark the anniversary with commemorative events in England and France.
Services in Britain and Normandy will be attended by the Queen, Mrs May, President Donald Trump, the Prince of Wales, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
For many of the survivors – the youngest of whom is 90 – it will be their last chance to pay their respects.
Today in Portsmouth, a National Commemorative Event will be the centrepiece of the remembrance services, with live performances and a spectacular flypast by RAF warplanes past and present, including a display by the Red Arrows.
This evening, 255 survivors will set sail back to Normandy aboard a luxury cruise liner. Tomorrow, Prince Charles and Mrs May will attend ceremonies at Bayeux, where hundreds of British soldiers lost their lives. President Trump will honour Americans who fell on Omaha Beach and a service will be held for the Canadian forces who stormed Juno beach.
The celebrations will culminate at Arromanches, overlooking Gold Beach, where the first stage of a long-awaited monument to the British fallen will be unveiled earlier. The statue that will form the centrepiece of the Normandy Memorial has been erected thanks to the efforts of the surviving veterans and Mail readers, but another £7.5million is needed to complete the project.