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| Tony Abbott: 'D-day was a day that changed the world' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Seventy years on from a day that changed the world, Prime Minister Tony Abbott and fellow world leaders have stood with D-day veterans in France to remember. | |
| Commemorations marking the 70th anniversary of the second world war landings at Normandy on Friday saw Abbott, Prince Charles and British prime minister David Cameron among those attending a British morning service. | Commemorations marking the 70th anniversary of the second world war landings at Normandy on Friday saw Abbott, Prince Charles and British prime minister David Cameron among those attending a British morning service. |
| Joined at the Bayeux cathedral by hundreds of | Joined at the Bayeux cathedral by hundreds of |
| ex-soldiers – including seven Australians – who fought in Normandy, | ex-soldiers – including seven Australians – who fought in Normandy, |
| those gathered were urged never to forget the sacrifices made on 6 June 1944. | those gathered were urged never to forget the sacrifices made on 6 June 1944. |
| "You who are Normandy veterans remain as witnesses to us of the | "You who are Normandy veterans remain as witnesses to us of the |
| high price that had to be paid to rid this continent of a terrible and | high price that had to be paid to rid this continent of a terrible and |
| tragic evil," Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch told the service. | tragic evil," Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch told the service. |
| "We owe you and all the Allied forces who took part in this operation a monumental thank you." | "We owe you and all the Allied forces who took part in this operation a monumental thank you." |
| Following the service, Abbott joined the veterans on a walk to another ceremony at the Bayeux cemetery. | Following the service, Abbott joined the veterans on a walk to another ceremony at the Bayeux cemetery. |
| Locals lined the streets in glorious sunshine, applauding the soldiers as they went by while others simply said "thank you". | Locals lined the streets in glorious sunshine, applauding the soldiers as they went by while others simply said "thank you". |
| Abbott stopped at the graves of | Abbott stopped at the graves of |
| Flight Sergeant Malcolm Robert Burgess and Pilot Officer Roland Gilbert | Flight Sergeant Malcolm Robert Burgess and Pilot Officer Roland Gilbert |
| Ward, two of the 14 Australians killed in battle on D-day. | |
| The landings in Normandy, the largest seaborne invasion in | The landings in Normandy, the largest seaborne invasion in |
| history, caught the Germans by surprise and played a crucial role in the | history, caught the Germans by surprise and played a crucial role in the |
| Allied victory in the war. | Allied victory in the war. |
| More than 3000 Australians fought in the campaign, mostly in the airforce. | More than 3000 Australians fought in the campaign, mostly in the airforce. |
| "D-day was a day that changed the world," Abbott said. | |
| "It was the beginning of the liberation of Europe that helped set | "It was the beginning of the liberation of Europe that helped set |
| up a post-war world which, for all of its difficulties and problems, | up a post-war world which, for all of its difficulties and problems, |
| has been unprecedented in terms of the prosperity of humanity. | has been unprecedented in terms of the prosperity of humanity. |
| "It is very important that we honour the people who did so much to make this possible." | "It is very important that we honour the people who did so much to make this possible." |
| Joining Abbott in | Joining Abbott in |
| France were Australian former second world war pilots Stuart Davis, Phillip Elger, | France were Australian former second world war pilots Stuart Davis, Phillip Elger, |
| Francis Evans, Ronald Houghton, Billy Purdy and Frederick Riley. | Francis Evans, Ronald Houghton, Billy Purdy and Frederick Riley. |
| All were awarded France's prestigious Legion of Honour on | All were awarded France's prestigious Legion of Honour on |
| Thursday night in recognition of their service. They were joined in | Thursday night in recognition of their service. They were joined in |
| Normandy by pilot Robert Cowper who had received his Legion of Honour in | Normandy by pilot Robert Cowper who had received his Legion of Honour in |
| 2004. | 2004. |
| Later on Friday, Abbott attended the international ceremony at Sword Beach, near Ouistreham. | Later on Friday, Abbott attended the international ceremony at Sword Beach, near Ouistreham. |
| Australian Michael Pirrie came to France on Friday to honour his uncle, Richard Pirrie, a footballer from Melbourne, who died on his 24th birthday on Juno beach. Clutching a black and white photograph of his uncle, to show Abbott, he said the ceremony was "incredibly humbling". His uncle, who served with the Australian navy, was credited with saving many lives on Juno beach before his was claimed by German artillery on D-day. | Australian Michael Pirrie came to France on Friday to honour his uncle, Richard Pirrie, a footballer from Melbourne, who died on his 24th birthday on Juno beach. Clutching a black and white photograph of his uncle, to show Abbott, he said the ceremony was "incredibly humbling". His uncle, who served with the Australian navy, was credited with saving many lives on Juno beach before his was claimed by German artillery on D-day. |
| "He was aboard the Invicta, which was a British, Canadian ship," said Pirrie, who now lives in London. His uncle's job in a spotter boat at the head of the invasion force was to get as close to the shore as he could to identify the Nazis on the cliffs and radio back to the ships so they could get their guns on them. | "He was aboard the Invicta, which was a British, Canadian ship," said Pirrie, who now lives in London. His uncle's job in a spotter boat at the head of the invasion force was to get as close to the shore as he could to identify the Nazis on the cliffs and radio back to the ships so they could get their guns on them. |
| "He got so close to Juno he was able to radio back great information before he was himself killed, which was extremely helpful and which meant the beach had the lowest casualty rate." He was mentioned in dispatches. His body was never found. | "He got so close to Juno he was able to radio back great information before he was himself killed, which was extremely helpful and which meant the beach had the lowest casualty rate." He was mentioned in dispatches. His body was never found. |
| "Just being here is an emotional experience," said Pirrie, surveying the graves. "I don't think anybody has put it as well as Bill Clinton when he said "We are the children of their sacrifice". | "Just being here is an emotional experience," said Pirrie, surveying the graves. "I don't think anybody has put it as well as Bill Clinton when he said "We are the children of their sacrifice". |