Prince William Attends Staffordshire D-Day Service
6 June 2019, 12:22 | Updated: 6 June 2019, 12:37
The Duke of Cambridge is attending a service of commemoration at the National Memorial Arboretum marking the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings.
William is joining more than 20 D-Day veterans at a public service in Heroes' Square, before paying his respects at the Normandy Campaign Memorial.
Prince William has arrived at @Nat_Mem_Arb in #Staffordshire where a service is being held to mark 75 years since the D-day landing#HeartNews pic.twitter.com/zAErwVE6e3
— Heart West Midlands News (@HeartWMidsNews) June 6, 2019
He is also due to meet those who served, helping in the successful Allied landings on the heavily fortified Nazi-occupied coastline of northern France on June 6 1944.
After laying a wreath, William will deliver a short reading. Among those also attending will be 100-year-old Pixie Jenkins, a former Wren in the Women's Royal Naval Service.
In 1944, Mrs Jenkins helped drive troops and equipment to Newhaven Docks in East Sussex in the build-up to D-Day and throughout the Normandy landings.
The centenarian, from Aldridge, near Walsall, West Midlands, is among a handful of veterans who have been able to travel to the special service in Staffordshire.
Reflecting on the anniversary, she said: "I think the men that went over were wonderful and I hope the younger people today realise how fortunate they are to have people like that.
"I think so many youngsters today have forgotten about the men. "They look at them and think, 'They're old men now' - to them they're just old men. "And they're not, they are wonderful, wonderful men that went over. "I salute them all."
Wreaths have been laid at a special memorial at the @Nat_Mem_Arb in #Staffordshire by world war 2 veterans, and Prince William @KensingtonRoyal to mark 75 years since the d day landing pic.twitter.com/NvCqnqOfSu
— Josh Giltrap (@JoshGiltrap) June 6, 2019
