Piper marks D-Day landings on Gold Beach as Royal Marines yomp to commemorative service
The sound of a piper coming ashore at Gold Beach near Arromanches has marked the moment British soldiers landed on the beach in Normandy on D-Day 80 years ago.
Accompanied by 47 Commando Royal Marines, the piper came ashore at 07:30 local time on board a DUKW amphibious vehicle, which came off the back of a modern-day landing craft.
A huge crowd gathered to watch the piper.
Pipe Major Trevor Macey-Lillie said he felt "totally humbled and privileged" to be coming off the landing craft like so many troops did 80 years ago.
"Totally outstanding – wouldn't have missed it for the world. The memories of all those guys here," he said.
Pipe Major Macey-Lillie added it was important "to represent them and obviously to keep the memory alive for all those past soldiers and the ones that are still with us today".
Asked how it felt to be back five years after having played for the 75th anniversary, he said: "Outstanding. That Mulberry Harbour right behind me here, number 449, was the one I played on on the 75th.
"To be back here on the same beach, doing the same style of work again is amazing."
After the Royal Marines reached the shoreline, they started to yomp across the fields to Por-en-Bassin to attend the annual Royal Marines D-Day commemorative service.
Major Andrew Atkinson, Squadron Commander for 47 Commando, told Forces News D-Day was "the greatest military achievement of all time".
"It's more than just soldiers storming a beach," he said.
"D-Day starts two years before that, with the Royal Navy winning the Battle of the Atlantic, because D-Day is a logistics battle, it's not just a combat battle."
Maj Atkinson also said it was a relief the morning went as planned, after several months of ensuring every last detail was accounted for.
"The tide, the weather, everything has to go in our favour," he said.
"The mechanical state of an antique craft, yeah, I'm over the moon."
He added that the man who drove the landing craft was the son of a Royal Marine who served in the Second World War.
"It was a great moment for everyone," he added.
Lieutenant George Waddington, who serves in the Royal Navy, operated as a navigating assistant for 47 Commando.
He said it was "fantastic" to be involved in the commemorative events.
"It's amazing being down on the beaches that they landed on," he said,
"I did a reconnaissance last week and you really get a feel of what the guys were going up against, especially going to some of the other beaches up the coast."
Lt Waddington said that, as was shown in Portsmouth when D-Day veterans embarked on their journey across the Channel, the military still very much remembers and cares about the battle.
"There's a huge presence from the military," he said.
"We absolutely respect what happened 80 years ago and it is very much a part of our service to remember those who came before us."
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