D-Day 70 years on: The region remembers

Veterans from our region are among the thousands of ex-servicemen, world leaders and royalty who have gathered along the Normandy coast for a day of services to mark 70 years since the D-Day invasion.

The 6th June 1944 assault on Nazi strongholds in Northern France is often attributed as one of the most significant turning points of the Second World War, as Hitler's forces began to be gradually pushed back into Germany.

Click below to watch a report from ITV News' David Wood, who's spent the day in Normandy with some of the veterans from the Anglia region.

D-Day in June 1944 was the largest amphibious assault ever launched.

More than 80,000 British and Canadian troops took part in the invasion on the beaches alongside United States Forces, in an Allied force of more than 150,000.

Another 23,400 British troops were landed by air. Supporting the invasion were more than 7,000 ships off the coast and 11,000 aircraft.

In total, there were 4,300 British and Commonwealth casualties killed, wounded or missing on D-Day.

Every village, every town, every community in our region is aware of the sacrifice made in the two great wars of the 20th century.

Across the Anglia region and beyond, one of the most significant moments of either war has been commemorated with services to mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day, when allied troops landed in northern France to begin their assault on Nazi-controlled Europe.

Click below to watch a report by ITV Anglia's Malcolm Robertson

The 70 years since the D-Day landings began have been marked with a city centre ceremony in Peterborough.

There was a two-minute silence and the Last Post was sounded as veterans gathered by the war memorial.

The Mayor led the moving ceremony which was attended by representatives of the Royal Anglian Regiment Association and the RAF Regiment Association.

Second World War veteran George Batts has spoken of his pride at attending the events in Normandy commemorating 70 years since D-Day.

Mr Batts said: "Having the mayor and the children here makes it so poignant and memorable."

Dozens of Paras from Colchester have taken part in the 70th anniversary of D-Day commemorations in Normandy.

The soldiers from 3 Para jumped from their aircraft to land near Caen on Thursday, watched by veterans who did the same thing 70 years ago.

In 1944, 13,000 paratroopers jumped as part of the allied invasion. This was one of a number of events taking place to mark the anniversary.

A Tornado from RAF Marham in Norfolk has recreated a reconnaissance mission that was carried out by the squadron over the coast of France 70 years ago.

A jet from the base fitted with digital camera equipment photographed the beaches of Normany in one flight earlier this week.

Back on June 6, 1944, it took more than 30 sorties to get the latest images of the battlefront.

Click below to watch a report from ITV News Anglia's Stuart Leithes

A Tornado from 2 Squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk has recreated a reconnaissance mission carried out over the coast of France on D-Day nearly 70 years ago.

A jet from the base, fitted with a digital camera, photographed the beaches of Normandy.

In 1944 it took three aircraft and 30 flights to get the latest images of the battlefront on those beaches.

On D-Day itself, June 6 1944, a II (AC) Squadron Mustang, piloted by Air Commodore Andrew Geddes, brought back the first pictures of the Normandy landings.

"With the modern technology, we replicated Air Commodore Geddes' flight down the beach at 800 ft," Wing Commander Jez Holmes told ITV News Anglia.

"But of course, we weren't faced with the apocalyptic vision that those pilots were faced with at the very moment that the first landing craft touched the sand."