Harper begins D-Day sojourn in Normandy, will meet vets at Juno Beach

DEAUVILLE, France – Stephen Harper is beginning his long journey along France’s Normandy coast today to honour Canada’s contribution to the D-Day invasion 70 years ago today.

The prime minister is starting his day by laying a ceremonial wreath at the Beny-sur-mer Canadian Cemetery, where more than 2,000 men killed on D-Day, most of them Canadian, are buried.

Harper will attend a luncheon hosted by French President Francois Hollande before taking part in the major International Ceremony of Remembrance commemorating the June 6, 1944 offensive.

The prime minister will end the day at Juno Beach where 18,000 Canadian troops launched their contribution to the massive Allied attack on Europe that changed the course of the Second World War.

Canada’s D-Day tribute to the 359 Canadians who died on the first day of the battle was unveiled Thursday at the Juno Beach Centre. It is comprised of 359 maple tribute markers.

Some 130,000 U.S., British and Canadian troops stormed 80-kilometre stretch of beaches along the French channel coast to attack hundreds of Nazi troops in concrete fortified gun positions.

Canada suffered more than 18,000 casualties, with 5,000 killed in the two-and-a-half month campaign, which eventually led to Europe being wrestled free of German occupation.