I was privileged and honoured to attend the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy on Thursday, June 6th 2024. This was the first time I had attended a commemoration service at an actual war site. Normandy today is a beautiful place, and the beaches are a peaceful haven. This was not the case just 80 years ago when young men’s lives were cut short in the pursuit of bringing WWII to an end. I had been invited as a guest of the American Battle Monuments Foundation (ABMF) who were hosting 200 WWII veterans, many of whom either stormed the Normandy beaches or were dropped behind enemy lines this day 80 years ago. With an average age of 97, it was remarkable to see these veterans (men and women) share their stories with strangers and catch up with old friends and reflect on the past. Their gift to everyone was freedom. That single fact was not lost on anyone. Over 1200 guests from all over the world came to pay their respects to the men and women who served on their behalf. We applauded for nearly 40 minutes as veterans entered the stage under the memorial statue "Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves." Presidents Macron and Biden spoke, and a number of veterans were knighted in the Légion d'Honneur for their service. My handkerchief got a little moist over the whole commemoration ceremony. I took the opportunity to talk to several veterans after the ceremony, which was a very humbling experience indeed. In the picture, I presented 99yr old Sydney Levitt with my last New Zealand Defence Force coin I had kept since leaving the New Zealand Embassy in 2016. I also carried and kept close to my heart my grandfather's WWI medals because I knew that if he were alive today, he would have been there with me. The Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer is the final resting place for 9,388 Americans who died during the landings and subsequent operations.
Other commemorations took place in Normandy on this day, honouring the veteran troops from various countries including Britain, Canada, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, New Zealand, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Australia, and France. Lest we forget.
Very moving, well done Nige.