NZ veterans visit Normandy landing sites ahead of D-Day events
Nine New Zealand veterans of World War II are due to spend their first full day in France touring the Normandy beaches tomorrow ahead of a series of events to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the day allied troops stormed ashore in Nazi-occupied Europe.
The group is due to spend the day touring the Normandy landing sites, including Arromanches, where British forces came ashore at Gold Beach, and Pegasus Bridge, where British paratroopers, in an extraordinary glider-borne stealth operation, seized a vital crossing point to prevent it from being used in a German counter-attack.
Of the nine former servicemen, all aged between 89 and 97, three were on warships that played a supporting role on the great day and a fourth helped to land men ashore.
On Friday (NZ time), weather permitting, the group is scheduled to view a parachute jump by more than 300 soldiers, including members of Britain’s elite 16th Air Assault Brigade, on the outskirts of Ranville, near Pegasus Bridge.
On Saturday (NZ time) the group will join with the Governor-General and attend services at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Bayeux, the first French town to be liberated from occupation. More than 4500 troops who died during the landings and the Battle of Normandy that followed will be honoured. Seven RNZAF crew and one RNZN sailor are buried there. Among those attending the service at Bayeux will be French Prime Minister Mauel Valls as well as the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
Among those looking forward to linking up with New Zealand colleagues is Jack Woods of the Normandy Veterans Association who visits annually and will be with fellow British soldiers at Bayeux.
‘‘This is the sort of thing that has to happen in order to make the point that there is no glory in war, any time, anywhere,’’ Woods told the ‘‘We will be pleased to mix with anybody, we're only too pleased.’’
The group will also attend the official commemoration of the D-Day landings at Sword Beach which will be attended by French President Francois Hollande and 17 other heads of state from countries involved in the war, including Barack Obama.
It is expected at least 1800 veterans will attend the ceremony. But this could be the last large-scale commemoration, as the number of survivors dwindles.
An official at the French President's Office told the this year's commemorations have a twin message: to thank the Allies for their role in defeating Nazism and to remind today's young about the roots of liberty.