Wreath-laying ceremony in Dieppe, N.B., honours those lost during D-Day, Battle of Normandy

Wreath-laying ceremony held in Dieppe, N.B. A wreath-laying ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day was held at the Dieppe Cenotaph in New Brunswick on Wednesday.

A wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Dieppe Cenotaph in Dieppe, N.B., Wednesday morning to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.

Around 160,000 Allied troops, including approximately 14,000 Canadians, landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944, in what's now known as the beginning of the end of the Second World War.

In all, 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day and more than 5,000 were wounded.

That day marked the beginning of the bloody 11-week Battle of Normandy and the start of the Allied liberation of France.

"For the Canadians who landed on Juno Beach, it was a day they would never forget. As we mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, it is our duty to honour their sacrifices and remember the 359 Canadians who died that day," said Jean J. Gaudet of the Dieppe Military Veterans Association.

During the Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle — and Allied bombings of French villages and cities — killed around 20,000 French civilians. The battle ended in late August 1944.

"More than 5,000 brave Canadians had died and more than 13,000 were wounded during the campaign," said Gaudet.

"They courageously helped end the Second World War. The living memory of the Second World War is quickly fading. Let's keep their military experiences alive and learn about how their efforts and sacrifices that helped shape the Canada we know today."

The exact number of German casualties is not known, but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. About 22,000 German soldiers are among the many buried around Normandy.

Chief Terry Richardson of Pabineau First Nation spoke during Wednesday's ceremony. He says it's important to remember our past, otherwise history has a tendency to repeat itself.

"We can't afford for that to happen. It's important to remember the sacrifices that the individuals gave in D-Day 80 years ago. And it's important to remember we never want to experience that again. Never again," said Richardson.

Larry Comeau, president of the Dieppe Military Veterans Association, shared details about the cenotaph’s unique connection to Dieppe, France.

"The stones that you see embedded in the cenotaph were collected on the beaches of Dieppe, France by French students," he explained.

"Each one represents a Canadian soldier at the Dieppe raid on Aug. 19, 1942. Those lives were not lost in vain because the lessons learned from that tragedy led to the successful invasion of D-Day."

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