Address by Her Majesty Elizabeth II
Queen of England
60th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings – Official Speeches
Speech delivered on 6 June 2004 at the British ceremony in Arromanches.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted to be here with you to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the D-Day landings. It is a celebration of one of the most significant military victories of the Second World War, but it is also a commemoration of the sacrifices of so many of your comrades. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cares for the graves of more than 22,000 Commonwealth soldiers who died fighting in Normandy. Many more were wounded. Their sacrifice must never be forgotten.
Those present know the historical significance of what took place here on 6 June 1944: the extraordinary scale and scope of the operation—including the largest parachute drop ever made, and successful, anywhere; the audacity and imagination of the concept; the months of careful preparation; the endless training and waiting; and the ferocity of the day and campaign that followed.
None of this meticulous preparation would have been completed without the bravery and courage, without the profound determination of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who landed on the beaches that day and fought inland against overwhelming opposition.
After so many frustrating delays, the invasion of Europe, so longed for by the inhabitants of the free world, had finally begun, and everyone hoped it would lead to a swift end to the war. My father addressed the nation that day and said: “Once again a supreme test must be made. This time the challenge is not to fight for survival, but to fight to win the final victory of the just cause.”
We are all growing older, and while it is sad that this is the last parade in Normandy for the Normandy Veterans Association, it should not be forgotten that members of this association continue to care for one another; to help those in need; to support our distraught comrades and to remember all the deeds you accomplished during these crucial days.
The association can be proud of what has been accomplished and what continues to be accomplished.
There is just one more thing I want to say. What is for you a moving memory of the danger and sacrifices of a summer long ago is for your country, and for generations of your compatriots to come, one of the most glorious historical events in our long national past. I extend to you, on my behalf, the immense debt of gratitude we all owe you. I salute you, and thank you on behalf of our entire Nation.“
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