Ever-living God
we remember those whom you have
gathered from the storm of war into the peace of
your presence, and especially those who lost their lives
during the D Day landings;
may that same peace
calm our fears,
bring justice to all peoples
and establish harmony among the nations,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Codenamed Operation Overlord, the D-Day operation on 6 June 1944 was the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare, landing 156,000 Allied troops by sea and air in Normandy.
Allied airborne forces parachuted into drop zones across northern France and ground troops landed across five assault beaches - Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. Allies established a foothold along the coast by the end of the day and could begin their advance into France.
Many lives were lost on both sides and today as a nation we remember all who gave their lives in pursuit of peace.
The UK’s national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day will be hosted by the Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer.
More than 1,600 members of the Armed Forces will lead the commemorations in France.
On this day we hold before our heavenly Father those whose memory we cherish and those whose names we will never know. We ask for our Father’s strength to help lift our eyes above the torment of this broken world and that he may give us the grace to pray for those who wish us harm.
As we do so we are reminded that we remember the past, in the present and for the sake of the future and take this opportunity to commit ourselves to the pursuit of peace.
As the troops gathered on 5th June 1944 many prayed using the following words:
O Lord God, when thou givest to thy servants to endeavour in any great matter, grant us to know that it is not the beginning, but the continuing of the same unto the end, until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory: through him for the finishing of thy work, laid down his life: our Redeemer Jesus Christ. Amen.
Rest eternal grant unto them O Lord.
The Venerable Stephen J H Dunwoody CF, Archdeacon for the Army