Victory in Europe

60th Anniversary 8th May 2005

World War 2, the greatest paroxysm that has ever seized the human race was an event so enormous and so tragic as to defy imagination. Millions died on Britain, France, Germany - tens of millions in the Soviet Union. The United States, though spared the worst of the horrors also made her sacrifices.

Despite heavy losses to the American troops at Omaha Beach, the D Day landings on June 6th 1944 were a resounding success, Allied losses however rose steeply from that time:

June 6th - 20th 1944, 1st US Army lost 24,162 men and Second British Army 13,572 men.

From June 6th to August 25 1944, TWO MILLION ALLIED SOLDIERS landed in Normandy, Allied losses totaled 10% (206,703 men) 124,394 Americans, 82,309 British and Canadian. They confronted 740,000 German Soldiers, who lost 240,000 men.

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old

Age will not weary them, Nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun, And in the morning

We will remember them