D-Day Heroes: Veterans Lay Wreaths At Bayeux Cemetery

A convoy of London taxis has brought around 100 veterans to Normandy to lay wreaths at the Bayeux Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery.

Located in the first town liberated on D-Day, the cemetery is the largest Second World War cemetery of Commonwealth soldiers in France, with nearly 5,000 graves.

Most of the 4,000 British soldiers buried here died during the invasion, 73 years ago.

Major Joseph Mark, Normandy Veteran, explains there is a specific reason why this is the biggest cemetery: "It is because we established the first British military hospital here.

"All the wounded chaps were brought back here and died in hospital, and so they were buried in this cemetery."

Frederick Glover, former member of 9th Parachute Battalion, has been reflecting on the sacrifices made on D-Day, and what they mean for the preservation of democracy:

Every year, veterans spend several days commemorating the Normandy landings, with the anniversary of D-Day itself often considered the most important day.

Among the participants was also Sir Michael Fallon, who visited Bayeux for the first time as Defence Secretary.

The cabbies that took part to the initiative are volunteers with the Taxi Charity, which aims to help the war disabled and veterans.

More than 4,000 allied soldiers and 9,000 Germans died on the beaches of Northern France on 6 June 1944.

D-Day, which is also known as the biggest invasion in history, allowed the allies to establish a foothold in France.

Eleven months later, Hitler’s Nazi Germany did not exist anymore.