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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Veterans gather for D-Day event | Veterans gather for D-Day event |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Veterans of D-Day are preparing to take part in ceremonies in France, marking the 65th anniversary of the Allied Normandy landings. | Veterans of D-Day are preparing to take part in ceremonies in France, marking the 65th anniversary of the Allied Normandy landings. |
| US President Barack Obama, France's Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as the Canadian and British prime ministers and Prince Charles are taking part. | US President Barack Obama, France's Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as the Canadian and British prime ministers and Prince Charles are taking part. |
| They will attend commemorations at a cemetery near Omaha Beach, where many American soldiers died on 6 June 1944. | They will attend commemorations at a cemetery near Omaha Beach, where many American soldiers died on 6 June 1944. |
| The Allies suffered 215,000 casualties on D-Day and in the Normandy campaign. | The Allies suffered 215,000 casualties on D-Day and in the Normandy campaign. |
| Germany suffered similar losses as the Allies fought desperately up the beaches and into the French countryside to form a bridgehead. | Germany suffered similar losses as the Allies fought desperately up the beaches and into the French countryside to form a bridgehead. |
| Brief trip | Brief trip |
| President Obama flew into Paris late on Friday after a brief trip to Germany in which he and Chancellor Angela Merkel toured the Buchenwald concentration camp. | President Obama flew into Paris late on Friday after a brief trip to Germany in which he and Chancellor Angela Merkel toured the Buchenwald concentration camp. |
| Later on Saturday he will join President Sarkozy for talks in Caen before delivering a speech at the US war cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, which overlooks Omaha Beach. | Later on Saturday he will join President Sarkozy for talks in Caen before delivering a speech at the US war cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, which overlooks Omaha Beach. |
| Veterans of the landings will be among the invited audience. | |
| It's a great feeling to come here. My comrades though are buried over at Omaha US veteran Austin Cox | It's a great feeling to come here. My comrades though are buried over at Omaha US veteran Austin Cox |
| President Obama's great-uncle, Charlie Payne, 84, who helped to liberate a concentration camp near Buchenwald, has also travelled to Normandy. | President Obama's great-uncle, Charlie Payne, 84, who helped to liberate a concentration camp near Buchenwald, has also travelled to Normandy. |
| Also present will be British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Canada's Stephen Harper. | Also present will be British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Canada's Stephen Harper. |
| Britain's Prince Charles was invited after the US intervened in a cross-channel row over the lack of an invitation for Queen Elizabeth. | Britain's Prince Charles was invited after the US intervened in a cross-channel row over the lack of an invitation for Queen Elizabeth. |
| "It's a great feeling ... to come here," said Austin Cox, 90, of Maryland, who landed on Omaha Beach as a sergeant with the 29th Division of the US 115th Infantry Regiment. | "It's a great feeling ... to come here," said Austin Cox, 90, of Maryland, who landed on Omaha Beach as a sergeant with the 29th Division of the US 115th Infantry Regiment. |
| "My comrades though are buried over at Omaha," he said. | "My comrades though are buried over at Omaha," he said. |
| US First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven, arrived in France shortly before the president. | US First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven, arrived in France shortly before the president. |
| After the D-Day ceremonies, President Obama and his family will return to Paris where they plan to visit Notre Dame Cathedral. They are due to fly back to the US on Sunday. | After the D-Day ceremonies, President Obama and his family will return to Paris where they plan to visit Notre Dame Cathedral. They are due to fly back to the US on Sunday. |