D-Day 80th anniversary service will be 'emotional'

A sergeant has said taking part in commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy will be emotional.

Sgt Joe Lowry and the 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, based in Tidworth, Wiltshire, will represent The British Army as part of a guard of honour at Bayeux, Ver-Sur-Mer and Arromanches on 5 and 6 June.

The ceremonies in northern France, to commemorate the Normandy landings in 1944 during World War Two, will be attended by King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales.

Speaking at a dress rehearsal on Thursday, Sgt Lowery said: "We're obviously super proud of being part of the day and the remembrance."

Sgt Lowery said: "The Fusiliers had a huge part to play in D-Day so it only seems right that we go there and do them proud with our drill as part of the ceremony.

"It's the experience of the day so for the new junior Fusiliers who wouldn't have experienced it before, they probably don't understand the magnitude of the event.

"When you get there and you understand that there's going to be thousands of people there and all the veterans, it's quite breathtaking."

The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, will unveil a statue in Normandy recognising the Canadian contribution to D-Day, before attending a remembrance service in Bayeux Cathedral on 5 June.

On 6 June, the King and Queen will attend the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, which lists the names of more than 22,000 people under British command who died during the battle of Normandy.

Sgt Lowery, who also took part in the coronation of King Charles, said the regiment was well aware of the importance of getting everything right on the day.

"If you get it wrong, you're going to stand out," he added.

Maj Stuart Gilbert said it was "so important" that the battalion had the "opportunity to be a part of the tri-service guard", as it was something that they do not "do very often".

"It's a big ceremony. We're not sure if the regiment will be involved in the future, so it's our turn this time," he said.

Maj Gilbert said while they were "looking forward to it", getting the drill right had "taken time as many had never done anything like this before".

Fusilier Logan Bull, who finished training in November, said he was proud to be part of such an important event so early in his career.

"Having an opportunity like this doesn't come around often," he added.

"I'm very proud to be able to go and do that in Normandy. It's quite daunting but I think it will go very well."

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.