France Commemorates 82nd Anniversary of D-day With Veterans

WHO:

Euronews - French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, UK Defence Secretary John Healey, and six World War II veterans.

DW - The last living World War II veterans.

WHAT:

Euronews - The 82nd anniversary of D-Day was commemorated with an international ceremony at the British Normandy Memorial.

Euronews - Approximately 160,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy on D-Day, with 4,400 Allied troops killed on that day.

DW - Only six veterans attended the ceremony, marking the smallest number since the memorial opened in 2021.

DW - The estimated number of German casualties on D-Day is between 4,000 and 9,000.

WHERE:

Euronews - The ceremony took place at the British Normandy Memorial in Langrune-sur-Mer, France.

DW - Commemorations included events at Juno Beach.

WHEN:

Euronews - The D-Day landings occurred on June 6, 1944.

DW - The ceremony took place on a Saturday, coinciding with the anniversary of D-Day.

WHY:

Euronews - The commemoration honors the sacrifices of servicemen who fought during World War II to liberate Western Europe from Nazi control.

DW - Hegseth's remarks linked the legacy of D-Day to current immigration issues in Europe, suggesting a need for vigilance against "dangerous ideologies."

HOW:

Euronews - The ceremony included laying tributes at the American memorial and speeches by military leaders.

DW - French schoolchildren participated by walking across Juno Beach to mark H-Hour, the time of the British deployment.

(UPDATED June 7, 2026 06:18 UTC)

An international ceremony was held at the British Normandy Memorial in Langrune-sur-Mer, France, to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, attended by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and six World War II veterans, the smallest number since the memorial opened in 2021. Approximately 160,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy on D-Day, with around 4,400 Allied troops killed that day, while German casualties are estimated to be between 4,000 and 9,000. The event included laying tributes at the American memorial, speeches by military leaders, and participation from French schoolchildren who walked across Juno Beach to mark H-Hour, emphasizing the sacrifices made to liberate Western Europe from Nazi control.