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| D-Day: Francois Hollande's plea to fight threats to peace | D-Day: Francois Hollande's plea to fight threats to peace |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| French President Francois Hollande has urged people to fight global threats to peace with the "same vision, the same courage" as those who fought on D-Day. | |
| Almost 2,000 veterans joined world leaders at a ceremony in Normandy, France, marking the 70th anniversary of the momentous World War Two mission. | Almost 2,000 veterans joined world leaders at a ceremony in Normandy, France, marking the 70th anniversary of the momentous World War Two mission. |
| Mr Hollande said today's threats included terrorism, global warming and mass unemployment. | Mr Hollande said today's threats included terrorism, global warming and mass unemployment. |
| Earlier, the Queen laid a wreath at a military cemetery in Bayeux. | Earlier, the Queen laid a wreath at a military cemetery in Bayeux. |
| The main commemoration event took place at Sword Beach, one of five landing points for the Allies, where scenes from the 1944 invasion were re-enacted. | The main commemoration event took place at Sword Beach, one of five landing points for the Allies, where scenes from the 1944 invasion were re-enacted. |
| The landings - involving 156,000 troops - were the first stage of the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. | The landings - involving 156,000 troops - were the first stage of the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. |
| By the end of D-Day on 6 June 1944, the Allies had established a foothold in France - an event that would eventually help bring the war to an end. | By the end of D-Day on 6 June 1944, the Allies had established a foothold in France - an event that would eventually help bring the war to an end. |
| More than 4,000 British, American and Canadian troops lost their lives on that first day of the battle. | More than 4,000 British, American and Canadian troops lost their lives on that first day of the battle. |
| At the D-Day commemorations | At the D-Day commemorations |
| Mark Urban, diplomatic editor, Newsnight | Mark Urban, diplomatic editor, Newsnight |
| These events have drawn hundreds of thousands of people to the Normandy beaches, all outwardly here for the same reason but actually taking away very different things. | These events have drawn hundreds of thousands of people to the Normandy beaches, all outwardly here for the same reason but actually taking away very different things. |
| The leaders flew in to draw political lessons, seeking to define D-Day in their own ideological terms. | The leaders flew in to draw political lessons, seeking to define D-Day in their own ideological terms. |
| President Obama, speaking at a war cemetery that is the last resting place for nearly 10,000 fallen soldiers, spoke of a sacrifice in the service of "our commitment to liberty, to equality, to freedom, to the inherent dignity of every human being". | President Obama, speaking at a war cemetery that is the last resting place for nearly 10,000 fallen soldiers, spoke of a sacrifice in the service of "our commitment to liberty, to equality, to freedom, to the inherent dignity of every human being". |
| There are historical re-enactors from all corners of Europe. They pose for photos, add to the atmosphere, but undoubtedly come for their own enjoyment. | There are historical re-enactors from all corners of Europe. They pose for photos, add to the atmosphere, but undoubtedly come for their own enjoyment. |
| As for the veterans themselves, they are small in number but have a completely disproportionate effect in dignifying everybody else's commemoration. | As for the veterans themselves, they are small in number but have a completely disproportionate effect in dignifying everybody else's commemoration. |
| Les Reeves, 89, who drove one of the first tanks ashore on Sword Beach told us that he would keep coming back, "as long as I have the strength". | Les Reeves, 89, who drove one of the first tanks ashore on Sword Beach told us that he would keep coming back, "as long as I have the strength". |
| Fintan Christopher Donohoe, who fought ashore with the 2nd Royal Ulster Rifles, said he had never wanted to talk about the war much but felt it important to do so now, lest young men get the idea that war is a great adventure. | Fintan Christopher Donohoe, who fought ashore with the 2nd Royal Ulster Rifles, said he had never wanted to talk about the war much but felt it important to do so now, lest young men get the idea that war is a great adventure. |
| Speaking at the sun-drenched event, and in the face of high temperatures, Mr Hollande said: "It's up to us to have the same vision, the same courage, to be just as bright and have the same determination as those who came to these beaches 70 years ago." | |
| Mr Hollande also paid tribute to "the courage of all these young men who came from all over the world to conquer - metre after metre, inch after inch - the beaches and the dunes". | Mr Hollande also paid tribute to "the courage of all these young men who came from all over the world to conquer - metre after metre, inch after inch - the beaches and the dunes". |
| "I really wish to pay tribute to the courage and the Germans who were actually victims of Nazi rule. They were led into a war which was not theirs and which would have never been theirs. And today we really want to pay homage to all the victims of Nazi rule." | |
| Mr Hollande also called for the beaches of Normandy to become a Unesco World Heritage site. | |
| A 21-gun salute and a flypast also formed part of proceedings at the Sword Beach ceremony, which was also attended by UK Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. | A 21-gun salute and a flypast also formed part of proceedings at the Sword Beach ceremony, which was also attended by UK Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. |
| A Lancaster bomber, regarded as the workhorse of the RAF, flew over the crowds below, flanked by two Spitfires. | A Lancaster bomber, regarded as the workhorse of the RAF, flew over the crowds below, flanked by two Spitfires. |
| At Arromanches, the crowds were led in prayer by Reverend Mandy Reynolds, the national chaplain of the Normandy Veterans Association. | |
| And Prince William gave a speech in which he called D-Day a "great and terrible day". | |
| "Great because it signalled the beginning of the end of Nazism. Terrible because so great a number of young men, and French men, women and children here and elsewhere in Normandy, lost their lives." | |
| 'Thanks' | |
| Earlier in the day at Colleville-sur-Mer, US President Barack Obama said: "America's claim - our commitment to liberty, to equality, to freedom, to the inherent dignity of every human being - that claim is written in blood on these beaches, and it will endure for eternity." | |
| Elsewhere, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall attended a Royal British Legion service at Bayeux Cathedral. | Elsewhere, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall attended a Royal British Legion service at Bayeux Cathedral. |
| And the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended events in Arromanches, which included a tea party, near Gold landing beach where thousands of British troops came ashore on D-Day. | |
| Following a morning service at Bayeux Cathedral, many veterans left to walk to the nearby military cemetery where nearly 2,000 eventually gathered. | |
| The BBC's Becky Kelly reported that crowds burst into applause as the veterans walk past, some people shouting "thanks". | The BBC's Becky Kelly reported that crowds burst into applause as the veterans walk past, some people shouting "thanks". |
| In other events: | In other events: |
| What was D-Day? | What was D-Day? |
| On 6 June 1944, British, US and Canadian forces invaded the coast of northern France in Normandy. | On 6 June 1944, British, US and Canadian forces invaded the coast of northern France in Normandy. |
| The landings were the first stage of Operation Overlord - the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe - and were intended to end World War Two. | The landings were the first stage of Operation Overlord - the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe - and were intended to end World War Two. |
| Portsmouth's D-Day Museum says as many as 4,413 Allied troops died on the day of the invasion - more than previously thought. | Portsmouth's D-Day Museum says as many as 4,413 Allied troops died on the day of the invasion - more than previously thought. |
| By the end of D-Day, the Allies had established a foothold in France. Within 11 months Nazi Germany was defeated, as Soviet armies swept in from the east and captured Hitler's stronghold in Berlin. | By the end of D-Day, the Allies had established a foothold in France. Within 11 months Nazi Germany was defeated, as Soviet armies swept in from the east and captured Hitler's stronghold in Berlin. |
| Will you be marking the anniversary of D-Day? Were you involved in some way in the Normandy landings? Do you have family who were involved in the action, or the build up to that day? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories, using 'D-Day' in the subject. | Will you be marking the anniversary of D-Day? Were you involved in some way in the Normandy landings? Do you have family who were involved in the action, or the build up to that day? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories, using 'D-Day' in the subject. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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