Red Arrows pilot hopes Duxford air show can preserve D-Day legacy
The iconic planes rounded off a weekend of flypasts
A Red Arrows pilot hopes the legacy of D-Day lives on for generations to come.
The iconic planes flew over the skies of Cambridgeshire yesterday to round off a D-Day anniversary air show at Imperial War Museum Duxford, marking 80 years since the landings.
Around 40,000 visitors attended the museum across the weekend, with many Second World War aircraft including Spitfires and Dakotas on show.
"It's important as a country we pay our respects"
Squadron Leader Graeme Muscat is a team supervisor at the Red Arrows:
"We know there are not many veterans left who took part in D-Day, so it's especially important not only as a service, the UK military but as a country we pay our respects to those who gave the ultimate price," he said.
"We're remembering it now and it's extremely important we pass it onto th enext genegration, and that's what these types of events are about.
"Parents and grandparents bringing their children and grandchildren to shows such as Duxford and explaining that yes while it's an air show, the reason why it's called the D-Day air show is because of this."
Decisive D-Day
More than 150,000 Allied troops took part in the D-Day landings, known as Operation Overlord, in Normandy, France on June 6, 1944.
Troops were dropped off at five beaches in Normandy as part of the operation.
The combined assault by land, air and naval forces is thought to be one of the most important military campaigns during World War Two.
"We should keep educating every generation"
Sqn Ldr Muscat believes more people learning about what happened eight decades ago is key.
"We should always carry on, encourage it and keep educating every generation to remember what went on; it's how our country was built, it's where we get our 'Great' from," he added.
"They were thrown straight into the lion's den almost immediately.
"You have to take your hat off to them to get through it, come out the other side and we're extremely thankful to those who took part and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice."