Heroes of D-Day share their stories as they commemorate the 75th anniversary
The 75th anniversary of D-Day has been about honouring the fallen and also the veterans who came through the fight.
Sadly, fewer of them remain to tell the tales from the battlefield.
But - as the years go by - it becomes increasingly important to hear their voices and show our appreciation.
The wartime generation said The Queen today, her generation is resilient and that explains why so many who served in 1944 were back in Portsmouth on Wednesday, 75 years later.
Joan Burfield was one of 300 veterans who attended the ceremonies, she told the Prince of Wales and The Queen about her time as a coder on submarines.
Ms Burfield, who will celebrate her 95th birthday on Friday, was a Wren as women in the Navy were called then and she knew exactly what The Queen meant about resilience.
She told ITV News' Royal Editor Chris Ship: "I feel very lucky, I put it down to Wren training, discipline, comradeship."
When asked whether she would go home feeling appreciated after seeing the world leaders at the Portsmouth events, she said: "Yes of course! It's well it's been so wonderful, I'm lost for words, as you can tell."
The challenges that generation faced on June 6 1944 were formidable and the stories they still tell about it remain painfully fresh.
Arthur Hampson sailed Canadian tanks across the Juno beach, one of them sank with two men inside as soon as it launched.
"So I just flopped into 89 feet of water and you know."
After 75 years, memories are fading but it is still 75 years of life that many didn't get to have.
Arthur Boon said: "I had 75 years enjoying my life and what I've done and they didn't have that, you know, that's the hard part."