he plays the he plays the last post.

they play fanfare.

when you go, tell them, tell them about us, and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today. and in there, the british ambassador, lord lewin, and the

defence minister, step forward, if we can see them, as reeds are presented to them, so that they can be placed at the duzel wall, on behalf of the united kingdom and france. there, the ambassador and the minister stepping forward to, to place a british race, of red poppies, and a french race of blue cornflowers, the french flower of remembrance. the reeds are placed at the foot of the d—day wall, which are inscribed the names of the m75 british servicemen who died on the three d—day beaches where british forces land, together with those members of the royal and merchant navies, who were lost at sea. and members of the royal air force, lost in the air. and it is to the sea,

that we look now, because aircraft are inbound. aircraft from the royal air force. ladies and gentlemen, to mark the opening of the british memorial, the red arrows. i'm sorry we cannot hear the roar of the aircraft, but there are the red arrows, and the ribbons of red, white and blue, in the skies over at gold beach, a tribute from the royal air force's red arrows, to all those who gave their lives on this day, d—day, 77 years ago and in the fighting that followed. it was the battle upon which depend on the freedoms of western europe. and with the opening of british non—leap memorial, we renew our obligation to remember and to pass that obligation

to the generations of tomorrow. we pay our respects to our veterans, two of whom are among the guests in there, david mao crist, who served with the 43rd wessex division, who landed on gold beach on the 12th of june and charles shay, an american veteran, a combat medic who landed on omaha beach on the 6th ofjune. we pay our respects to our veterans, but most of all, to those, the comrades, who never came home. veterans, ministers of the governments of the united kingdom and france, ladies and gentlemen, in behalf of the normandy memorial trust, thank you for your attention. we say au revoir to our friends and he at the national memorial arboretum in staffordshire, i now

pass the event back to the royal british legion. thank you very much indeed. applause studio: and there, the pictures of that memorial, unveiled today on the columns of the memorial, the names of 22,442 columns of the memorial, the names of 22,4112 service men and women who lost their lives on d—day and during the battle of normandy. reeds are being laid at that memorial. —— wreathes. there are two veterans

there, there are others at staffordshire, the national memorial arboretum, watching the service there and the red arrows overflying there and the red arrows overflying the memorial. let us go to the national memorial arboretum. graham satchell is there. it has just been a really beautiful service, hasn't it? ~ , ~ , a really beautiful service, hasn't it? absolutely. i think this is everything — it? absolutely. i think this is everything that _ it? absolutely. i think this is everything that the - it? absolutely. i think this is everything that the veterans j it? absolutely. i think this is - everything that the veterans would have wanted to see today and a stellar array of people commemorating them and their comrades for what they achieved in normandy, 77 years ago. we heard from prince charles, who paid tribute, who said he would have been there himself to open the memorial, but could not travel as none of the veterans can for covid—19 reasons, so it's veterans can for covid—19 reasons, so its left to the french ambassador, the british ambassador, sorry, to france, to perform those

honours. as you say, we had some moving words, i think, as well, from eyewitness accounts from the time, read by current serving soldiers and one of the things that we heard was from madame arlette grandray. she worked on a cafe on a key bridge which is now called pegasus bridge, it was the first key moment of d—day and she was here today to give her recollection of that, she said that it was terrifying that the british were arrived, had arrived, we are free, she said. the british had arrived. we see now, memorial is being laid in staffordshire, just as they have been in normandy and finally, this memorial which can erase the thousands and thousands, 24,000 british men who were killed

in the conflict in northern france, up in the conflict in northern france, up to august that year, are now commemorated as people are saying this morning, forevermore etched in stone. , . . this morning, forevermore etched in stone. ., this morning, forevermore etched in stone. . ., this morning, forevermore etched in stone. ., ., ., stone. graham, you have spoken to veterans there. _ stone. graham, you have spoken to veterans there. i _ stone. graham, you have spoken to veterans there. i saw _ stone. graham, you have spoken to veterans there. i saw you _ stone. graham, you have spoken to veterans there. i saw you speaking | veterans there. i saw you speaking with one who said, we are not the heroes who lost their lives, it is that we hear again and again, we heard it at the service in france. tell us more about the veterans you have spoken to and how they feel about how this is now being commemorated.— about how this is now being commemorated. . , . ., , ., commemorated. that is certainly a key message _ commemorated. that is certainly a key message that _ commemorated. that is certainly a key message that you _ commemorated. that is certainly a key message that you will - commemorated. that is certainly a key message that you will hear - commemorated. that is certainly a l key message that you will hear from all of the veterans. harry billing has said this again and again, so movingly, that they are not heroes, the people who came back, and harry billing is's words, they are lucky. you will hear back from everybody who is here today, the people who made it back because it says on the

d—day itself, 77 years ago today, now, as we speak, as british soldiers, landing on the beach, they were facing the most horrific fire from german forces, and it was an absolutely horrid scene. yes, you hear that from the veterans, that they are lucky, they are not heroes, and the other message i think that you get today is a slight sense of frustration, frankly, that it has taken so long for this memorial to have been built. it has taken the much longer than it should have done, they are very diplomatic when you speak to them on camera, off—camera, quite blunt about this. but, nonetheless, with the history of this and the length of time it has taken, there is a huge sense of pride, i think, from the veterans, that theirfriends, the people pride, i think, from the veterans, that their friends, the people who died next to them on the beaches, and in the streets of northern france are now being remembered properly, at this memorial, and it

will be there for generations and generations to come. one of the things that the veterans who survive now are most keen to do is to set up an education centre next to it, so that younger people who do not know this history, for whom it means nothing, perhaps, will be able to learn about the sacrifices that were made and how important that day was in freeing europe from a fascist dictator. . ~ in freeing europe from a fascist dictator. ., ~ , ., ., ., . dictator. thank you, we are watching veterans laying _ dictator. thank you, we are watching veterans laying there _ dictator. thank you, we are watching veterans laying there reeds, - dictator. thank you, we are watching veterans laying there reeds, old - veterans laying there reeds, old men, they were young men on this day, 77 years ago when the d—day landings happen. —— wreathes. we bring injames holland, the historian. james, these young men, so many young men we understand, we know, decided that they would go and fight, even though they were below the age at which they should have actually been going off to fight, but because it was such an important

thing for them to do, their loved ones, theirfriends, we are going to do it, they want to be a part of it. yes, absolutely. it isjust incredible, you know, i have a 19—year—old son, and last october i was in _ 19—year—old son, and last october i was in germany, not a nominee, but i was in germany, not a nominee, but i was at _ was in germany, not a nominee, but i was at a _ was in germany, not a nominee, but i was at a commonwealth war grace cemetery, — was at a commonwealth war grace cemetery, there was looking down at a lieutenant from the rangers, killed _ a lieutenant from the rangers, killed in— a lieutenant from the rangers, killed in his first action. a yeoman _ killed in his first action. a yeoman. it is a very sobering thing to realise — yeoman. it is a very sobering thing to realise just how young they are, and i_ to realise just how young they are, and l have — to realise just how young they are, and i have recently been doing a lot of work— and i have recently been doing a lot of work on — and i have recently been doing a lot of work on a — and i have recently been doing a lot of work on a particular armoured regiment— of work on a particular armoured regiment in— of work on a particular armoured regiment in the british army that serves— regiment in the british army that serves all— regiment in the british army that serves all the way through the war, actually, _ serves all the way through the war, actually, but landed on gold beach on 0-day, — actually, but landed on gold beach on d—day, not far from where the memorial— on d—day, not far from where the memorial is— on d—day, not far from where the memorial is today. and went all the way through to the end of the war. you can— way through to the end of the war. you can tell— way through to the end of the war. you can tell from the letters that are being — you can tell from the letters that are being written home and from the diaries— are being written home and from the diaries that _ are being written home and from the diaries that these are boy men, they are old _ diaries that these are boy men, they are old enough to command tanks, they are _ are old enough to command tanks, they are old — are old enough to command tanks, they are old enough to be out there,

but they— they are old enough to be out there, but they are — they are old enough to be out there, but they are still dot like you can still see — but they are still dot like you can still see the boys in them. you can hear— still see the boys in them. you can hear it— still see the boys in them. you can hear it in— still see the boys in them. you can hear it in the — still see the boys in them. you can hear it in the worst they are writing _ hear it in the worst they are writing back to their parents. in the letters. and that's the great tragedy— the letters. and that's the great tragedy of it, that this generation wasm _ tragedy of it, that this generation wasm had — tragedy of it, that this generation was... had to face such a terrible conflict _ was... had to face such a terrible conflict and — was... had to face such a terrible conflict and be caught up in it. today. — conflict and be caught up in it. today. we _ conflict and be caught up in it. today, we have our own struggles and our own _ today, we have our own struggles and our own problems with the pandemic, and other— our own problems with the pandemic, and other things beside, but imagine being _ and other things beside, but imagine being 19 _ and other things beside, but imagine being 19 and being sent over to normandy and landing in a land a craft and — normandy and landing in a land a craft and coming ashore, and i really— craft and coming ashore, and i really can't _ craft and coming ashore, and i really can't stress enough that d-day— really can't stress enough that may is — really can't stress enough that d—day isjust a day really can't stress enough that d—day is just a day one really can't stress enough that d—day isjust a day one of really can't stress enough that d—day is just a day one of the really can't stress enough that d—day isjust a day one of the land campaign — d—day isjust a day one of the land campaign. there was an air campaign have been_ campaign. there was an air campaign have been going on for months beforehand, it is a campaign that goes _ beforehand, it is a campaign that goes all— beforehand, it is a campaign that goes all the way through to the 8th of may, _ goes all the way through to the 8th of may, 1945, when the end of the war is— of may, 1945, when the end of the war is finally sealed in europe, and goes _ war is finally sealed in europe, and goes on _ war is finally sealed in europe, and goes on until the 15th of august 1945 in — goes on until the 15th of august 1945 in the far east, so it had a

long. _ 1945 in the far east, so it had a long. long _ 1945 in the far east, so it had a long, long way to go after d—day and many, _ long, long way to go after d—day and many. many— long, long way to go after d—day and many, many people lost their lives and lost _ many, many people lost their lives and lost their lives of the normandy campaign _ and lost their lives of the normandy campaign and the 76 days that followed, and also in those long 11 months _ followed, and also in those long 11 months in — followed, and also in those long 11 months in the european war that continued — months in the european war that continued afterwards. it was just absolutely relentless. i think if you were — absolutely relentless. i think if you were in the front line, it was a terrible. _ you were in the front line, it was a terrible, terrible time.— terrible, terrible time. indeed. that description _ terrible, terrible time. indeed. that description there - terrible, terrible time. indeed. that description there that - terrible, terrible time. indeed. i that description there that james terrible, terrible time. indeed. - that description there that james is giving of the time that it went on, the relentlessness of what these men had to endure, is what that heroism is about, because obviously, they did not know when it would end and they were waking up every day facing they were waking up every day facing the loss of the people they were fighting alongside, having to deal with unbearable events and just having to get through and today, we see some of those who did get through, laying wreathes to lay those —— too late for those who did

not. we go back to our correspondent hugh schofield, in france, where the events are taking place, hugh you, we first came to this morning, it was blue, the sky, but now it is, overbearing, overcast, it seems rather fitting to remember that day. it has great up, but it is still immensely tranquil and the views of the seas, very, very calm seas. it is a one day as well. —— greyed up. we have not got a sense of approaching storms, but lord llewellyn, the ambassador, made reference to this, rather aptly, pointing out what a beautiful day it is here and what a calm, tranquil day. it is a picture of beauty here. the contrast between that and what the situation was like on the 6th of

june, 1944, is of course so striking, back then, the sea would have been almost invisible because of the ships that were on it, and the transport bringing the men in and the fire and the air, —— the airpower overhead, would have made this space immensely strong. today, it is what we see. it so much the message that that action onjena six, one of the first actions that led to the piece, led to the liberation. ——jena led to the piece, led to the liberation. —— jena six. led to the piece, led to the liberation. ——jena six. that led to the piece, led to the liberation. —— jena six. that very much shows that the memorial here is for the combo is to be remembered, but that so that people will come in what is achieved in the campaign, and that achievement was the reconquest of peace and liberty. —— 6th ofjune. reconquest of peace and liberty. -- 6th ofjune— reconquest of peace and liberty. -- 6th ofjune. whew, this is memorial to primarily — 6th ofjune. whew, this is memorial to primarily obviously _ 6th ofjune. whew, this is memorial to primarily obviously to _

6th ofjune. whew, this is memorial to primarily obviously to the - to primarily obviously to the british who lost their lives, but the site does also include a french memorial, dedicated to the memory of french civilians who died. those who died during this time. how important is that allegiance? tiara died during this time. how important is that allegiance?— is that allegiance? two points, it is that allegiance? two points, it is a memorial— is that allegiance? two points, it is a memorial here _ is that allegiance? two points, it is a memorial here to _ is that allegiance? two points, it is a memorial here to all- is that allegiance? two points, it is a memorial here to all those i is that allegiance? two points, it i is a memorial here to all those who died under british command, under the command of montgomery, and that includes french soldiers and their commanders, 200 men also who came ashore, but also many other nationalities to who died, under british command, as fighting men, then, separately, in the north—west corner of the memorial, a smaller place of memory, which is actually where the ambassador and the defence minister are now, the french defence minister are now, the french defence minister is unveiling that, in it, and it is a way for people from normandy to come and remember their dead. —— inaugurating it. let us not

forget that there were many thousands of civilians who died in the civil fighting, and thousands of civilians who died in the civilfighting, and people in the civilfighting, and people in the city of caen were killed, and it is an extreme fact that the allies did cause many casualties on their own side, as it were, in the course of course, of helping the necessary advance and reconquest of caen. the fact remains that there were these casualties, the fact remains that nonetheless, the gratitude of the people of normandy, in my experience, has been deep and profound, and though there are of course many personal wounds inside families, it is never, in my experience, been something that has been held against the allies. tell us what it's _ been held against the allies. tell us what it's like _ been held against the allies. tell us what it's like to be there, because we can see the pictures, hugh, the memorial is breathtaking. it is breathtaking, it is a huge

surprise, to be honest. quite deliberately, it has been kept under wraps. the press was not welcome here up until today, or yesterday, it was only completed a few weeks ago. covid—19 is keeping travellers, tourists away, so there are passers—by coming in to talk about it, and film it in progress, but when i came down yesterday, i was absolutely... there is a fly—past coming over, i think. that was the french display team following on the british display team earlier on. it symbolises i think the kind of excitement of the moment on the one hand, but also the poignancy, i think, moment on the one hand, but also the poignancy, ithink, and no one moment on the one hand, but also the poignancy, i think, and no one here with all of that, would be pricking behind the eyes, i certainly had it as we had the memories and the film which i found very moving. —— it

would be a pricking behind the eyes. in the recollection of the veterans who spoke in that. it was very moving. i can't state it enough, it was a very, very powerful place here. it —— its setting is so beautiful, and the construction is so apt. the stone, the limestone is beautiful, the craftsmanship is exquisite, it feels permanent, it feels long lasting, it feels entirely appropriate in its twin missions of commemorating and making internal the names of those who died, and in creating a space of contemplation for people to come and think about what it all means. thank ou, think about what it all means. thank you. hugh. — think about what it all means. thank you. hugh. let's— think about what it all means. thank you. hugh. let's go _ think about what it all means. thank you, hugh, let's go back— think about what it all means. thank you, hugh, let's go back to - you, hugh, let's go back to historianjames holland. why has it taken so long, james, for this to be built? i taken so long, james, for this to be built? ~' taken so long, james, for this to be built? ~ , ., , , , built? i think it is largely because ofthe built? i think it is largely because of the incredible _ built? i think it is largely because of the incredible work _ built? i think it is largely because of the incredible work of - built? i think it is largely because of the incredible work of the - of the incredible work of the commonwealth war grace commission

and because of all the individual memorials that have come up. i suppose we are, rating dead who have already been commemorated, in those magnificent seminaries —— cemeteries, all—round normandy. —— commemorating the dead. that has been very much the focus of our commemorations up until now. having said that, it is a wonderful thing that this memorial has been created, and so close to the coast, the site where the only british victoria cross was one on d—day, very close to where it is situated. i think it is a combination of things, really. for a lot of the time, i was talking veteran this week, he said no mentioned it, the war, just no mentioned it, the war, just no mentioned it, the war, just no mentioned it in the fin —— 50s and 60s commitment barely in the 70s, he felt that the great awakening in terms of the colouration of the second world war, as far as he is a veteran was concerned, was the falklands war. we talked about a bit

more and i reflected about it was 1955, the 50th anniversary of ve day, which prompted huge corporations —— celebrations, i'm going and visiting hyde park, and seeing the huge razzmatazz that was going on, the parade, the mall and the battle flights flying over, the concert and so on. having that is really kind of focusing on lines on commemoration, and this growing feeling that this wonderful generation that gave so much all those years ago is slipping away, and it has been slipping away for 20, 30 years now. now, here we are, 77 years on. they are very few and far between. i think that is a national... when the last one goes, that will be a national outpouring of grief, just as it did when harry patch was the first to go from the

—— the last to go from the first model. and it will seek out from the direct human history, directly into the past —— from the past. i think it is all of those, they should not be too much finger—pointing, but i think it is a wonderful thing it is there now. certainly, me, iam looking forward to getting out there for seeing it, and it is part of the coast and i know very well. it looks absolutely stunning. it coast and i know very well. it looks absolutely stunning.— absolutely stunning. it does. we were hearing _ absolutely stunning. it does. we were hearing from _ absolutely stunning. it does. we were hearing from a _ absolutely stunning. it does. we were hearing from a veteran - absolutely stunning. it does. we i were hearing from a veteran earlier he was saying that he went to fight, he was saying that he went to fight, he was saying that he went to fight, he was on the d—day landings at the age of 17. his mother had lost two husbands in world war i, did not want him to go, she did not want to lose her son in the same way she had lost her husband. he told her he was determined to go, it was the right thing to do. —— lost her husbands. it does underline the sacrifice we were talking about today of those on the front line, those at home as well, having had a terrible time of it as well. , , ., ., ., it as well. yes, they did, a lot of hardships _

it as well. yes, they did, a lot of hardships during _ it as well. yes, they did, a lot of hardships during the _ it as well. yes, they did, a lot of hardships during the second - it as well. yes, they did, a lot of l hardships during the second world war. obviously, it depends on where you are, and those in the shires depended —— tend to have a easier time than in the city. the experiences faced by people, first in the blitz from september may 1941, then there was braids and v1 and v2 which started raining down in june 1944, and continued until march 1945. these were horrific. of course, it was, as nothing, to the vast amount of bombs that were dropped on continental europe. by the allies, during the war, but it is a relative, the war was a very, tough time. it was tough economically, there was not much chance for fun, economically, there was not much chance forfun, or much money economically, there was not much chance for fun, or much money around of course, because it was all going into the war economy, there were lots of restrictions on your freedom, we were all getting —— we are all getting fed up of the pandemic at a little over a year,

but this went on for six years in britain. , . , but this went on for six years in britain. , ., , ., ~ i. , but this went on for six years in britain. , . , . ~' ,, , . britain. james, thank you very much. james holland- _ britain. james, thank you very much. james holland. we _ britain. james, thank you very much. james holland. we remember - britain. james, thank you very much. james holland. we remember them, | britain. james, thank you very much. i james holland. we remember them, we see these veterans today, as they remember those who died 77 years ago on the d—day landings. you are watching bbc news, now time for a weather update. next watching for today, and a change of fortune for scotland and a change of fortune for scotland and northern ireland, where today, we have more broken clouds and that means some spells of sunshine was that they will probably stay dry. the cloud we had here yesterday has pushed its way into england and wales, you can see it has been bringing some rain and drizzle already. that lump of cloud is a stack across england in particular, moving very slowly eastwards, a front, but it is bringing lots of cloud around. particularly through the midlands, sending into northern england. as it brightens up, that

could trigger some heavy thundery showers, across scotland and northern ireland where it should stay financially. temperatures here 17 or 18 degrees. head of this wet weather we have in the midlands, the temperature is will be lower in the south—east and anglia, but there is a stretch of showers into the evening. pushing their way eastwards, eventually outwards, it does become a drier later in the night, so mist and fog patches again around, lowest temperatures in scotland where we will have the clearer skies. scotland where we will have the clearerskies. some scotland where we will have the clearer skies. some sunshine around on monday, some areas of cloud as well, so mist and fog patches could lift, but we could see some more heavy and thundery showers. east anglia, lincolnshire, north—east of england, and the further west you have, the further chance you have a stay dry with some sunshine, temperatures today and tomorrow are similar. high pressure is dominating other parts of the uk, coming in

from the bank —— atlantic, we have some weather front arriving, and that means more breeze, more breeze for northern ireland, western scotland, the light rain or drizzle. england and wales, likely dry, but some cloud heading into england and wales, sunny skies further south, and east, and those territories lift and east, and those territories lift a bit as well. it will feel warm in the sunshine and temperatures rise across many parts of the country on tuesday, a little more humid on tuesday, a little more humid on tuesday as we head into the week. low pressure is running into the north—west of the uk, we weather fronts as well, brushing north—western areas further south and it looks a little different. north—western parts of the uk, more cloud over the weekend, a stronger breeze, bit of rain, south and east, should be telling drier, sunnier and warmer. —— turning.

hello, you're watching bbc news. our headlines. britain's health secretary says the decision on easing lockdown restrictions on the 21st ofjune has become more difficult because the delta mutation which originated in india is 40% more transmissible than the canned variant. ., ., , .,~ ., variant. that does make life more challenging _ variant. that does make life more challenging for— variant. that does make life more challenging for everybody, - variant. that does make life more challenging for everybody, and i challenging for everybody, and you've seen that the case rates have risen a little, but the good news is that hospitalisations, the number of people arriving at hospital is broadly flat.— people arriving at hospital is broadl flat. broadly flat. boris johnson will tell global _ broadly flat. boris johnson will tell global leaders _ broadly flat. boris johnson will tell global leaders he - broadly flat. boris johnson will tell global leaders he wants i broadly flat. boris johnson will tell global leaders he wants a l broadly flat. boris johnson will - tell global leaders he wants a whole world to be vaccinated against coronavirus by the end of next year. a two minute silence has been held at the normandy memorial to honour more than 22,000 members of the

british armed forces who died after