Journalism of Courage
Moving letters, applause for veterans, solemn music and the attendance of leaders from across the world were the highlights as the world observed the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Here, French President Emmanuel Macron holds the hand of Bernard Duval, a survivor of the 1944 Caen prison massacre, during a ceremony at the Caen prison to pay tribute to French Resistance fighters in Caen, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the 1944 D-Day landings in Normandy, France. (Reuters)
On June 6, 1944, more than 150,000 Allied soldiers invaded France by sea and air to drive out the forces of Nazi Germany. Seen here are parachutists dropping in ahead of the Canadian commemorative ceremony at the British Normandy Memorial at the Juno Beach Centre to pay tribute to the soldiers who parachuted in on D-Day, in Sannerville, Normandy. (Reuters)
Solemn music was played and Tom Jones sang "I won't crumble with you if you fall" in a ceremony attended by Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla and French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. Seen here are King Charles and Queen Camilla arriving to attend the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion's commemorative ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day Allied landings at the World War II British Normandy Memorial near the village of Ver-sur-Mer which overlooks Gold Beach in northwestern France. (Reuters)
A visibly moved King Charles, in full military uniform, said, "We recall the lesson that comes to us again and again across the decades: free nations must stand together to oppose tyranny." (Reuters)
At a Canadian ceremony, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, "We must all continue to stand for democracy day in day out, we owe it for future generations." Seen here is Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shaking hands with a Canadian veteran as Britain's Prince William, the Prince of Wales and France's Prime Minister Gabriel Attal look on, during a commemorative ceremony. (Reuters)
Prince William, speaking at the same ceremony, said, "Standing here today, in peaceful silence, it is almost impossible to grasp the courage it would have taken to run into the fury of battle that very day." (Reuters)
At a separate event at the Normandy American cemetry in in Colleville-sur-Mer, US President Joe Biden met with World War Two veterans, giving salutes, handshakes and hugs to the men, many in wheelchairs, who came to France for the anniversary. (Reuters)
The anniversary takes place in a year of many elections, including for the European Parliament this week and in the US in November. Here, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wheels a D-Day veteran Bernard Morgan, 100, from Crewe, as they head to lunch following the commemorative event at Ver-sur-Mer, Normandy. (Reuters)
With the numbers of veterans, many aged 100 or more, fast dwindling, this is likely to be the last major ceremony in Normandy honouring them in their presence. Here, Britain's Princess Royal Anne attends a ceremony along with D-Day veterans at Bayeux War Cemetery in Normandy, France. (Reuters)
D-Day was history's largest amphibious invasion, in which thousands of Allied soldiers died. Here, European Council President Charles Michel, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and France's Prime Minister Gabriel Attal pay respects at the Juno Beach Centre near the village of Courseulles-sur-Mer, in northwestern France. (Reuters)
