William hails bravery of D-Day heroes and remembers loved ones left behind

The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to the “bravery of those who crossed this sea to liberate Europe” and the loved ones who waited for their return as he read a haunting extract from the diary of a D-Day soldier at the 80th anniversary commemorations.

Heir to the throne William took centre stage at the national ceremony in Portsmouth marking the historic 1944 Normandy landings, the turning point in the allies’ Second World War victory.

The prince, without the Princess of Wales who is away from public duties while she undergoes treatment for cancer, spoke of the families who “watched their loved ones go into battle” as they left for the largest seaborne invasion in history in June 1944.

Addressing the crowd at Southsea Common, William said: “We will always remember those who served and those who waved them off.

“The mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who watched their loved ones go into battle, unsure if they would ever return.

“Today we remember the bravery of those who crossed this sea to liberate Europe. Those who ensured that Operation Overlord was a success. And those who waited for their safe return.”

He said those who fought on D-Day “came from across our nation and from all walks of life to join in the fight against tyranny”.

“Many of those that took up arms had never seen combat before, some were still only in their teens,” he added.

The prince read a moving and poetic letter by Captain Alastair Bannerman of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, written in his diary at 3am on the morning of D-Day, just hours before the landings, and addressed to his wife.

It spoke of the moon shining though heavy clouds and the “row of small ships and of darker balloons silhouetted in front and behind us against the grey sea”.

Captain Bannerman thought of his wife and two young sons asleep in their nursery – and photographs of the soldier and his blond-haired children were shown on the screen behind William as he read the words.

“‘I can imagine how you listen to the news at 9 o’clock and think of me with love. I hope that Andrew’s golden head rests gently and quietly upon his small pillow and that Richard is nice and comfortable lying in his narrow little carry-cot’,” the prince said.

William continued: “‘The whole Channel between us and Cherbourg is filled with little ships which all quietly and efficiently sail towards France.

“‘The British, Canadian and American fighting forces on the war-path.

“‘I do not believe that I can now write for very long. We can now see the French coast and very soon we will have to play our part.

“‘I must go now and look for the landing markings with my binoculars to ascertain our landing points. So, my darling, on we go! I know that you are with me. Au revoir, God bless, I love you!'”

William shared how Captain Bannerman survived the landings and the war, was taken prisoner, but returned home to his wife and sons in April the next year.

He added, quoting Rupert Brooke’s famous war poem The Soldier: “Too many never returned. They remain in ‘some corner of a foreign field that is forever England’.”

The prince said he was “deeply honoured” to join the commemoration to recognise the bravery of those who took part in the landings.

William delivered his speech before the arrival of the King and Queen, with Charles also making his own address.

During the service, he sat between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

The prince was wearing his Golden Jubilee, Diamond Jubilee, Platinum Jubilee and Coronation medals and his Great Master of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath neck order.

He is set to attend events in Normandy on Thursday including a service hosted by Canada at Juno Beach and an international ceremony hosted by France at Omaha Beach which will be attended by more than 25 heads of state.