On the eve of commemorations marking the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy, a monument was unveiled Friday honouring the role of the Canadian Navy in the biggest seaborne invasion in history.

The ceremony took place not far from Juno Beach where Canadian servicemen stormed ashore to begin the liberation of Europe from the iron grip of Nazi rule.

Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson praised the contribution of Canadian sailors, saying they helped pave the way for victory.

"That morning, Canada's naval contribution far exceeded what anyone might have expected from a country of only 12 million people at the time," Thompson said.

"And on that morning 65 years ago our navy had rightfully earned its place along side the seven other allied nations."

"We're very proud to remember, to honour their service and their sacrifice."

Thousands of people, including aging veterans, gathered on the beaches of Normandy to remember the epic events of 65 years ago, when a force of 150,000 allied troops came ashore, launching the beginning of the end of the Second World War.

Some 14,000 of them were Canadians, from the Third Canadian Infantry Division. The fighting was ferocious and frightening as soldiers faced a fusillade of German machine gun fire.

The priced they paid was high -- 340 of them died that morning.

One of the returning D-Day veterans is Don Roach, who was nineteen on that day.

"Coming back here is sad, so many things you want to forget" Roach recalled.

Tomorrow's anniversary events are expected to be the last, large-scale remembrance involving D-Day survivors. Most are now in their late eighties.

On Friday, above the cliffs that allied soldiers climbed, there was an allied parachute drop to mark the initial airborne phase of the invasion of Europe.

And everywhere, expressions of thanks.

On the beaches were so much blood was spilled local schoolchildren from nearby villages spelled out the words: 'Sixty-five years later. Remembered. Thank you for the peace'.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is en route to Normandy. On Saturday he will join other world leaders on the beaches for commemoration events.

Over the next few days Harper will pay tribute to the Canadian soldiers who perished in the liberation of Europe, visiting some of the many allied war cemeteries that dot the region.

With files from The Canadian Press and a report from CTV's Tom Kennedy