80th Anniversary of D-Day

Today marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, in commemoration Mrs Savage shared the following message with our students…

"Dear students,

Today is just another day.

But while I go about my business, doing my job, I will also be thinking about Normandy in France. 80 years ago this very day was D-Day. D-Day was a monumental day in history and the beginning of the end of World War 2 – the day when an invasion force consisting of 160,000 mainly British, American and Canadian troops (although many other countries were also involved) landed on the beaches in Normandy to liberate France and Europe from Nazi Germany. To get them there, 7,000 ships were involved, with some 195,000 seaman, and this was supported by nearly 12,000 aircraft. They all set off from England 80 years ago, with a degree of fear of what was to come that I cannot even begin to imagine. More troops arrived over the following days and weeks.

This invasion force was successful – it took the Nazis by surprise and did indeed manage to liberate Europe. But it was at a cost. On this day, 80 years ago, 4,630 troops died. Of those, 1,760 were British. In the coming days, during what is now known as ‘The Battle of Normandy’, it is estimated that 425,000 men from the allied Armies, Navy and Air Forces died. A further 20,000 French civilians also died. But the French always honour their dead, and the dead of the allies and remember D-Day as a special day – as their country was given their freedom again as a result.

80 years on there are very few men who were part of the brave invasion force left to remember it first-hand. Those that are still here, are about 100 years old. Today, about 40 of them are gathered in Normandy for a special ceremony where they will remember the terrifying battle they faced, the enormity of what they achieved, and most of all, their friends who died. They will tell their tales to those of us who will listen – but we must remember that it is inevitable that soon there will be nobody left to give first-hand accounts about what happened 80 years ago today. Those who are left now were very young at the time, 19, 20, 21 perhaps.

I know that many of you don’t particularly enjoy watching the TV – but I would urge you to watch the news tonight, and look on social media accounts of things that have happened today and last night to mark this event. Listen to these men and their stories while you can, learn about what they experienced and how much we owe them.

I hope you, like me, will give them the respect, thought and attention they deserve today, while enjoying the free life we lead because of them.

Have a good day.

Mrs Savage."

Read some more from our veterans here...

https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/.../remembering-6th-june...