• John Dennett was a member of the Royal Navy who was on a craft that landed on Gold Beach on D-Day. He is seen on a ferry headed to Caen, northern France, for a wreath-laying ceremony to mark the 74th anniversary of the Normandy Landings. All photos by Matt Cardy / Getty Images
    John Dennett was a member of the Royal Navy who was on a craft that landed on Gold Beach on D-Day. He is seen on a ferry headed to Caen, northern France, for a wreath-laying ceremony to mark the 74th anniversary of the Normandy Landings. All photos by Matt Cardy / Getty Images
  • Lesley George Robinson, 98, the last survivor of the RAF veterans who landed at Omaha Beach lays a wreath at Vierville-sur-Mer in Normandy, France.
    Lesley George Robinson, 98, the last survivor of the RAF veterans who landed at Omaha Beach lays a wreath at Vierville-sur-Mer in Normandy, France.
  • Normandy veterans attend a at-sea wreath laying ceremony on the deck of the Brittany ferry from Portsmouth to Caen.
    Normandy veterans attend a at-sea wreath laying ceremony on the deck of the Brittany ferry from Portsmouth to Caen.
  • John Quinn, a Royal Marine who was a coxswain on a landing craft at Gold Beach throws a wreath into the sea.
    John Quinn, a Royal Marine who was a coxswain on a landing craft at Gold Beach throws a wreath into the sea.
  • People walk on the Gold Beach at Ouistreham viewed from the deck of a cross-channel ferry.
    People walk on the Gold Beach at Ouistreham viewed from the deck of a cross-channel ferry.
  • People look at the German guns at the battery at Longues-sur-Mer in Normandy.
    People look at the German guns at the battery at Longues-sur-Mer in Normandy.
  • People look at the German guns at the battery at Longues-sur-Mer in Normandy.
    People look at the German guns at the battery at Longues-sur-Mer in Normandy.
  • Bill Pendall, 96, who landed as a courier, from the 11th Armored Division, on D-Day at Gold Beach and Joe Cattini 95, who was in the Hertfordshire Yeomanry joke as they get on the coach that will take them to Normandy in France. Matt Cardy / Getty Images
    Bill Pendall, 96, who landed as a courier, from the 11th Armored Division, on D-Day at Gold Beach and Joe Cattini 95, who was in the Hertfordshire Yeomanry joke as they get on the coach that will take them to Normandy in France. Matt Cardy / Getty Images
  • Normandy veterans attend a wreath laying ceremony at the Tactical Air Force Memorial besides Omaha Beach. Matt Cardy / Getty Images
    Normandy veterans attend a wreath laying ceremony at the Tactical Air Force Memorial besides Omaha Beach. Matt Cardy / Getty Images
  • A military piper plays at a wreath laying ceremony.
    A military piper plays at a wreath laying ceremony.

Europe

Veterans commemorate D-Day landings - in pictures

As the 74th anniversary of the D-Day approaches, the handful of surviving Normandy veterans make their way to France

The National

June 06, 2018

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As the 74th anniversary of the D-Day approaches, some of the surviving Normandy veterans are making their way to France to commemorate the landings.

In 1944, about 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the UK, the US and France joined forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy which helped lead to the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany.

For the veterans travelling with groups such as the charity D-Day Revisited - which has taken the largest number of British veteran to this year's commemorations - the anniversary will have extra significance, as next year will be the charities final organised visit.

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