Defence Secretary John Healey joined veterans, military personnel and members of the public in Normandy on Saturday to mark the 82nd anniversary of D-Day and pay tribute to the men who helped liberate Europe during the Second World War.
Mr Healey attended commemorations at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, overlooking Gold Beach, where thousands of British troops came ashore on 6 June 1944 as part of the largest amphibious invasion in history.
During the visit, he met surviving D-Day veterans and laid a wreath in memory of those who fought and died during the Normandy campaign.
British D-Day veterans laying a wreath in honour of those who served and sacrificed during the Normandy landings. Photographer:PO Phot Rory Arnold – UK MOD Crown Copyright 2026
The memorial commemorates 22,540 servicemen and women who died while serving under British command during the Normandy campaign. This year’s commemorations brought together veterans, serving personnel, dignitaries and members of the public to honour their sacrifice.
Among those taking part in the commemorations was Henry Montgomery, the grandson of Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, one of Britain’s most prominent military commanders of the Second World War. On Saturday, Henry Montgomery completed a 22-kilometre walk across Sword, Juno and Gold beaches in tribute to the 22,540 names inscribed on the British Normandy Memorial.
Accompanied by serving members of the Armed Forces and the Jedburgh Pipe Band, Mr Montgomery walked along the Normandy coastline, retracing part of the ground secured by Allied troops during the D-Day landings. The tribute was intended to honour the men and women remembered on the memorial and highlight the enduring importance of their sacrifice.
The Jedburgh Pipe Band playing as Henry Montgomery walks up the beach with serving members of the armed forces. Photographer: PO Phot Rory Arnold – UK MOD © Crown copyright 2026D-Day, on 6 June 1944, saw nearly 160,000 Allied troops land on the beaches of Nazi-occupied France in an operation that marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe. The campaign that followed proved decisive in securing Allied victory on the Western Front.
Commemorative events across Normandy included remembrance services, marches and tributes to those who took part in Operation Overlord. A small number of surviving veterans attended ceremonies throughout the region, receiving warm applause from spectators and younger generations who had gathered to pay their respects.
Speaking during the commemorations, Mr Healey said the alliances forged during the Normandy landings continue to play an important role in maintaining international security today. He also reflected on the sacrifice of those who fought in Normandy and the responsibility of future generations to remember their service.
As the number of surviving D-Day veterans continues to decline, this year’s anniversary served as a poignant reminder of the courage, determination and sacrifice shown by the Allied forces who stormed the Normandy beaches 82 years ago. Their legacy lives on through memorials, commemorations and the continued efforts to ensure their stories are never forgotten.
