Normandy veterans at the new memorial. Pic: National Memorial Arboretum

A new memorial to those who fought in the Normandy campaign during World War Two has been unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum.

Normandy veterans at the new memorial
Normandy veterans at the new memorial. Pic: National Memorial Arboretum
It was built to mark the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings and the veterans retiring their colours and disbanding this year.

His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO unveiled the memorial in front of around 500 veterans and guests.

The service followed a flypast by a Dakota and Spitfire aircraft.

David Baines MBE, President of the Normandy Veterans Association, said: “This wonderful memorial will remind people, particularly a younger generation, of what life was like in 1944 and how the occupation of Europe was put to an end.”

The new 30ft-long memorial was created by Ian Stewart and is based on the undulations of the Normandy coastline. It is built of granite to “represent the severity of the task facing the invasion force”.

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