Today marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, when the nation unites to remember the courage and sacrifice of our war heroes.


The D-Day landings of June 6, 1944, codenamed Operation Overlord, made up the largest seaborne invasion in history. Along with airborne operations, it marked the beginning of the liberation of France and western Europe in the Second World War.
Unprecedented coordination between Allied nations led to a force from 13 countries approaching Normandy in a 5,000-vessel armada.
In the early hours of D-Day, 24,000 paratroopers and glider-borne troops landed behind German lines.

Massive naval and aerial bombardments attempted to suppress the German defences. Then a ground force of more than 130,000 troops came ashore on five beaches across a 50-mile stretch of Normandy coast, with the first waves often facing intact defences.
By the end of D-Day there had been 10,000 Allied casualties. Yet this was only the beginning. The ensuing Battle of Normandy was to last into August and cost tens of thousands of lives as it defeated and repulsed the occupying German forces eastwards.

It was a decisive success for the Allies and paved the way for the liberation of much of north west Europe.
Our arresting main picture shows retired major Jos Mark from Lowry Hill, Carlisle, who served in the Normandy campaign.

(Image: Newsquest)

Above is war veteran Alfred Marshall at the D-Day Remembrance Service in Ulverston in 2014.

(Image: George Smith)

George Smith was awarded France’s highest military award, the Legion of Honour, for serving on the mine sweeper MYMS 2205 during the D-Day landings.

(Image: Newsquest)

James “Jimmy” Ewing from Dalston received the same accolade for his work with the Royal Navy HMS Bellona as a telegraphist, including on D-Day.

(Image: Newsquest)

(Image: Newsquest)

Joan Steele and James Dunn are pictured laying flowers at the cenotaph on the 70th anniversary of D-Day, in 2014, along with uniformed veterans.

(Image: Newsquest)

The same year, Jan Malaawy was photographed with her late dad Wilfred Potter’s commando beret badge at her Barrow home.

(Image: Newsquest)

Another Barrow resident was 100-year-old war veteran Tom Ismay, who was a gunner in the Royal Artillery and was at Juno during the D-Day landings.

(Image: Newsquest)

Our final picture shows Owen Ogden, 15, from The Nelson Thomlinson School in Wigton, who won The Spirit of Normandy Award for his essay on D-Day.