The 79th anniversary of D-Day was commemorated in an international ceremony at the British Normandy memorial. Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, spoke at the event in Ver-sur-Mer. He honoured the soldiers who fought and lost their lives in the operation.
Wallace highlighted the achievements of the platoon commanders, non-commissioned officers, privates, airmen, and naval ratings. He said that the triumph of Operation Overlord was the responsibility of every soldier who faced the bullets. The fear they had to conquer was the first obstacle to overcome that day. Once that was achieved, the Allies could commence the vast enterprise of the operation.
Wallace also spoke about the men and women of Ukraine who are facing similar challenges today. He paid tribute to their courage and determination to fight for their lands and their soil. He remarked that the fear they experience is the same as that the Allies experienced on D-Day. They, too, will be mentally preparing themselves for potential death or victory and looking to their friends and Corporals for reassurance and encouragement.
The Defence Secretary stressed that attacking is a vastly different task from defending. The memorials along the coastline remind us of this. He said that we should be grateful as a generation that courage was on our side that day, and that despite the chaos, fear, and noise, it was the ordinary soldier who fought for freedom on that day of days.
Throughout his speech, Wallace honoured the effort and sacrifice of every soldier who fought on D-Day. He stated that the 6th of June was a day for celebration, but it was also a day for reflection on the bravery and dedication of every soldier who fought for us.
Credit: gov.uk
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