Cornwall Branch 297 of the Royal Canadian Legion holds the D-Day service

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The 80s^th The anniversary of the largest maritime invasion in history was marked in ceremonies across the country and the world on Thursday, including at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 297 in Cornwall.

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Mavis Williamson of the legion served as master of ceremonies and welcomed all to what was a late morning indoor gathering, The 80th Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.

“Today we honor and remember the brave men and women who changed the history of the world,” Williamson said. “The brave, the determined – they are our heroes.”

Williamson spoke of the horrific death toll; 14,000 Canadian soldiers were part of the operation and 359 lost their lives.

The landing operations and associated air operations on 6 June 1944 had f5 Allied beachheads established in Normandy, France. Operation Overlord took place five years after World War II, and planning for it began a year earlier.

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Over 6,000 ships and landing craft crossed the English Channel on the mission; before dawn, Allied gliders and paratroopers dropped behind enemy lines, and the result, ultimately, was an Allied victory, a turning point in the war.

In all, an Allied force of 150,000 troops stormed the coast of France from Normandy.

“There were major sacrifices made in this operation,” Williamson said of the unimaginable carnage and suffering.

In Cornwall, wreaths were laid by many dignitaries after a trumpeter played The Last Post. Pipers were part of the ceremony and performed Amazing Grace.

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The Pledge to Remember was recited and Reverend Kevin Maloney offered reflection and prayer.

On Wednesday, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 297 announced that the service will not be held at the cenotaph in Cornwall, but will be moved to the Legion hall a short distance away at 415 Second St. W., due to rain and thunderstorms forecast for Thursday, adding that the decision was made in the interest of everyone’s public safety.

Worldwide ceremonies included a gathering of Western leaders in Normandy representing the nations whose troops stormed the beaches eight decades ago.

The anniversary is also considered perhaps the world’s last opportunity to celebrate the handful of surviving soldiers, sailors and aircrew who walked onto the beaches and into Nazi gun range.

Thursday’s ceremonies included the Canadian commemoration event at Juno Beach and an international ceremony at Omaha Beach.

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