Salisbury marks D-Day 80 with double remembrance service
15 men from Salisbury lost their lives on 6th June 1944
Salisbury will mark today's 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy with two services in the city centre.
The names of 15 men from Salisbury who lost their lives on 6th June 1944 are on the south side of the War Memorial in the Guildhall Square.
A short remembrance service will be held by the memorial at 8am, with a second, more formal service at 6.30pm.
Mark Elliott from Downton-based veterans charity, Help for Heroes, says what the soldiers did on that day, which led to the liberation of Europe from German forces, was incredible.
He said: "I think what is often lost, it's it was a remarkable achievement. In bravery, courage, but in logistics planning.
"When you think of 1944 to where we are now with technology and how these young men and women achieved what they did, it is, apart from being brave and courageous, nothing short of extraordinary."
Mark added that, just as those who went to fight for us, we have a duty to carry out.
"At times like this, rightfully, we remember the fallen," he said: "But actually, our duty as a nation, is to look after those that came back. I would suggest those fallen heroes would demand nothing less."
'An emotional time'
Mark is among six veteran ambassadors for the charity who will be visiting the Normandy beaches for the charity to commemorate the anniversary.
He told Greatest Hits Radio that for the 75th anniversary they took some American veterans to the beaches.
"It was an extraordinary privilege to take American wounded servicemen and just how much they felt that their beaches were their battle honour. So it's an emotional time," he said.
He described Omaha Cemetery as an 'incredible place'.
"You take a moment to look at the headstones and then turn your head and look across towards the sea and see the open beaches that go for miles when the tide's out and you think, 'thank you for your service, thank you for what you did, we will do better'."