US president joins Gordon Brown, the Prince of Wales and Nicolas Sarkozy for 65th anniversary tribute in France
US President Barack Obama today praised the British Blitz spirit as thousands of veterans, servicemen and their families gathered in Normandy to mark the 65th anniversary of D-Day.
He joined beleaguered Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Prince of Wales and French leader Nicolas Sarkozy at the American Cemetery above Omaha beach in Colleville-sur-Mer.
"This is the story of the Allied victory," said Mr Obama.
"It is the legend of units like Easy Company and the All-American 82nd.
"It is the tale of the British people, whose courage during the Blitz forced Hitler to call off the invasion of England.
"The Canadians, who came even though they were never attacked.
"The Russians, who sustained some of the war's heaviest casualties on the Eastern front and all those French men and women who would rather have died resisting tyranny than lived within its grasp."
The service, set amidst the graves of 9,387 US servicemen, was one of scores taking place in the region to mark D-Day - June 6, 1944 and the Normandy campaign which followed.
Mr Brown took time out from political troubles at home as he joined Charles at a remembrance service in Bayeux Cathedral.
And later as he sat between Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Prince at the arc memorial in Colleville.
Mr Brown spoke of the WWII legacy and of trouble in Darfur, Burma, Zimbabwe.
"How can we say we have achieved all that we set out to do," he said. "The promise of peace and justice."
