
June 6th, 2021, marks the 77th anniversary of the
Allied invasion of Europe. Let us take a short minute to remember The Longest
Day.
In cities and towns, in this country and around
the world, commemoration ceremonies, although restrained by the Covid pandemic, will take place to honour the sacrifices of
so many, so that the world could be free from oppression and tyranny.
Veterans of this day will remember their comrades
in arms and those who fell.
And when you see those old men with their medals shining in the sun, remember
the price they paid for those shiny bits of metal and that they too were young
once.
On this day, Canada and its allies launched
Operation Overlord, the greatest sea-borne invasion the
world had ever seen. 150,000 troops stormed five beaches
code-named
Gold,
Sword,
Juno,
Omaha
and
Utah in Normandy, France.
The
operation began the liberation of German-occupied France
(and later Europe) from Nazi control
and laid the foundations for the Allied victory on the Western
Front.

HMCS Kitchener
On D-Day
14,000 Canadians landed at Juno Beach. The Royal Canadian Navy contributed
110 ships and 10,000 sailors and the RCAF
contributed 15 fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons
to the assault.
On D-Day, Canadians suffered 1074
casualties, including 359 killed.
We will remember them!
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