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“Let Their Memories Live On” Princess’s Moving Memoir of D-Day Sailor at Vigil

  • June 5, 2024



“Let Their Memories Live On” Princess’s Moving Memoir of D-Day Sailor at Vigil

[Music] at o05 hours on the 5th of June 1944 General Eisenhower Supreme Commander Allied Forces took the momentous decision to launch Operation Overlord what we now call D-Day the largest C and Airborne Invasion the world has ever seen after 5 years of war all that time training and waiting who knows what those Sailors soldiers and Airmen felt 80 years ago today charged with storming the Normandy Coastline and beginning the campaign to free western Europe from Nazi tyranny one of those Sailors was my husband’s Uncle sub liutenant Keith Simons who at the age of 20 was in command of three landing craft at Gold Beach in the first wave on D-Day recalling in his Memoirs the evening of 5th of June he wrote At Last it was time for our briefing our confidence was dented by predictions that casual ities in the first wave were likely to be heavy everyone was quite subdued but it was all very matter of fact they were in those days after supper we sat around making light conversation and listening to the chaplain playing his violin my cabin companion was a captain in the greenh Howards a Charming man who had been a solicitor before the war we talked about what he would do when the war was over sadly he was killed in France only a few weeks later Baer was close to The Landing beaches and it was the first city to be liberated by the British on the 7th of June the city’s hospitals were soon full of the Wounded from the surrounding battlefield for those who could not be saved this was their final resting place it is the largest Commonwealth Cemetery of the second world war in France and contains 4,140 Allied Graves it is my honor as president of the Commonwealth War Graves commission to continue to protect their legacy the epitaphs on the headstones here capture the grief of those who love these men one mother’s words are he is not dead whose memory lives in hearts that know and loved him 80 years on let their memory still live on in our hearts [Music]

The Princess Royal has read an excerpt from the memoir of a D-Day sailor during a vigil at Bayeux War Cemetery.

Sub-Lieutenant Keith Symons, who was her husband’s uncle, was in command of three landing craft at Gold Beach in the first wave on D-Day at the age of 20.
Report by Zaina Alibhai.

37 comments

  10. Many of us older folks had a parent who served during WWll. But the Princess Royal had both parents serve. HRH Anne is a fine example of a hard working and classy lady.

  12. ❤ Princess Anne God bless and keep you and yours KNOWING the Trinity is not to be underestimated at all at all. Keep the faith sister in Christ. I look forward to meeting you in heaven. I will say you are my favorite royal. Thank you for being.

    I’m a first generation American 🇺🇸 born to Canadian parents. One a half breed native. The other a son of Scottish cousins.

    My family recently became conscious of our unanimous need of psychiatric care. From out parents to our children.

    I have always enjoyed British videos many topics. My favorite today is Sister Boniface.

    Your comedians are grand fun ❤.

    Thank you for your service sharing your gifts with our world.

  23. Princess Anne is a force, she understands what these commerstions are about, unlike the disgrace named Rishi Sunak who needs to step aside 🇳🇿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

  24. Pourquoi personne ne c est présenté au 10th anniversaire Invictus Game ou on prie pour les personnes disparus les survivants et tout ceux qui sont blessés physiques mentaux et autres c est beau les beaux discours mais qu est ce qu ils font pour eux RIEN

  29. The Princess Royal is truly wonderful. A moving and beautiful oration. She captured the solemnity but also the warmth of the occasion perfectly. In fact, the only thing wrong with the video is when you break from the Ceremony and jump into uour ad for your merchandise and asking for subscriptions. Way to mess it up.

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