There will be a service and reception today organised by Armed Forces charity Legion Scotland and The French Consulate General, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Around 15 D-Day veterans, serving personnel, various dignitaries and Graeme Dey, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans will attend the event at The French Consulate in the heart of the nation’s capital.
During the service, the Knight of the Légion d’Honneur Cross will be presented on behalf of the President of the French Republic by the Consul General of France to the veterans who served on D-Day and were part of the subsequent liberation of France. Since June 2014, more than 5,800 medals have been awarded.
Veteran Richard John William Honour, who was deployed to Normandy 6th August 1944 before advancing through France and Belgium, will deliver a reading at the service which will be conducted by the Reverend Dr Karen K Campbell, the National Padré of Legion Scotland. Music will be provided Legion Scotland signing sweetheart Amy Hawthorn along with performances by the Band of HM Royal Marines Scotland and CCF pupils from Edinburgh Academy.
D-Day on the 6th of June 1944 was the largest amphibious invasion in history and is a pivotal date in the story of the Second World War. Codenamed ‘Overlord’, the operation involved a massive military force set out from the UK towards France. By this point in the conflict, Germany had taken over nearly the whole of Europe. The Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy and started to break through German defences. They began an attack that lasted for almost a year and took them all the way to the German capital Berlin and victory.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
