Let us now sing the praises of famous men,
our ancestors in their generations.
Their bodies are buried in peace,
but their name lives on generation after generation. (Ecclesiasticus 44:1,14)
What a difference a year makes. On 6th June 2019, we marked the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. In 1944, D-Day approximately 156,000 Allied troops (made up of British, Canadian and American soldiers) landed on 5 beaches in Normandy. One of the largest invasions in military history, D-Day marked the beginning of the end of World War II.
D-Day marked a major turning point in the war and led to the eventual victory of the Allies. For many years, people have visited Normandy to remember those who lost their lives during the offensive. Last year we saw those commemorations extended when 4,000 Armed Forces personnel saluted Normandy veterans at commemorative events that took place in both Normandy and Portsmouth. They were joined by world leaders and members of the Royal Family.
At 0726 on 6 June, a lone piper of the British Army played at Arromanches in Normandy to mark the exact moment the first British soldier landed on Gold Beach.
This year, the commemorations were going to be scaled down, but no one could have predicted that most of them would be cancelled due to the risks involved, especially to those veterans that would have made the journey to Normandy.
Their hard fought fight won our freedom, that we still enjoy today. Perhaps during the lockdown, we are realising what some of those freedoms involve, and that we have taken for granted. The veterans that are still with us that now fall into the vulnerable group that still need to shield, and need protection, our care, support and prayers. History has not forgotten them, and neither should we, and there are things that we can learn from their example that can be applied to life in 2020
From all that was achieved from being united and standing strong together.
From their example of fighting on behalf of humanity and for those who cannot fight for themselves.
For all that was gained from rising up in courage to pursue all that is good and makes for peace.
Lord of the nations,
we honour the bravery and sacrifice of those who served.
Grant us similar courage to recognise and restrain evil in our own day,
and may those who lead the nations of the world
work together to defend human liberty,
that we may live peaceably one with another.
This we ask in the name of the Prince of Peace,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.