D-Day’s 81st anniversary remembered in East Toronto

The anniversary of D-Day, that took place 81 years ago today on June 6, 1944, is being remembered in East Toronto.

This morning, Beach Metro Community News publisher Susan Legge saw this sign and Union Jack flag flying from a home on Norwood Avenue.

The sign reads:

“On this day in 1944, Operation Overlord, also known as D-Day, took place. The Allied invasion of Normandy is the largest seaborne invasion in history, with nearly 175,000 Allied troops, primarily Canadian, British and other forces, landing on 5 beaches. They were supported by 200,000 naval and air personnel. This marked the start of the campaign to liberate Europe from German occupation.”

It needs to be remembered that Canadian forces took Juno Beach in Normandy on June 6. American forces took Omaha and Utah beaches, and British forces took Gold and Sword beaches. The invasion was supported by military personnel from many other countries including France, Poland, and Norway.

D-Day on June 6, 1944 was the start of the invasion of France and the liberation of Europe by Allied troops to end the Second World War. More than 14,000 Canadian military members took part in the D-Day invasion. Canadian troops secured Juno Beach at the cost of more than 1,000 casualties, with 359 killed.

In honour of D-Day’s 81st anniversary, the members of East Toronto’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11, along with members from other local branches, are organizing a local parade and memorial service on Sunday, June 8.

The parade will take place along Kingston Road on the afternoon of Sunday, June 8, starting at 1:30 p.m.

The parade will travel east along Kingston Road from Norway Junior Public School, 390 Kingston Rd., to St. John’s Norway Cemetery on the northwest corner of Woodbine Avenue and Kingston Road.

After marching into the cemetery those in the parade and other community members will gather in the Veterans Section for a 2 p.m. memorial service.