D-Day memorial to honour British killed in the Normandy landings
Written by News on 05/03/2017
Britons killed in the D-Day landings are to be remembered with a special monument that the Government is to contribute £20m towards.
The memorial to those who died in the Normandy campaign will be erected at the site of fierce fighting which took place during and after the Allied landings in France in 1944.
The monument will be unveiled on 6 June, 2019 – the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
It will carry the names of the estimated 21,000 members of the British armed forces and Merchant Navy, as well as those from other nations who fought alongside them, who lost their lives in the campaign.
The Normandy Memorial Trust, supported by the Royal British Legion is launching a fundraising appeal to raise money to add to the Whitehall contribution, which comes from LIBOR fines imposed on banks that tried to manipulate the financial markets.
George Batts, former national secretary of the Normandy Veterans’ Association, said: "It has been the dream of Normandy veterans for many years for there to be a British memorial in Normandy dedicated to all those from the British armed forces who lost their lives in the D-Day landings and in the Normandy campaign which followed.
"This generous commitment by Her Majesty’s Government will finally enable us to realise this ambition."
The memorial will also pay tribute to several thousand sailors and airmen who were lost at sea, and those who died from their injuries.
Prime Minister Theresa May said: "We must never forget the courage, sacrifice and selflessness of the British servicemen and women who gave their lives in the D-Day landings.
"Located close by the beaches where they began the liberation of Europe, the Normandy Memorial will be a fitting tribute to them and a place where people can gather to reflect on their extraordinary achievements.
"Its unveiling on the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in 2019 will provide a timely reminder that we should never take our freedom for granted."
Chancellor Philip Hammond added: "This will be a fitting reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by British men and women on D-Day for the freedoms we enjoy today.
"We have a duty to ensure their names will be remembered for generations to come. It is only right we support this project as we look forward to the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in 2019."
(c) Sky News 2017: D-Day memorial to honour British killed in the Normandy landings
