In June 2024, 99-year-old Canadian veteran Jim Parks visited Juno Beach in Normandy, where he landed with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles battalion on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

Interview with Veteran Jim Parks

As a member of the U.S. Artillery Aviation Unit, he played a vital role in surveillance and reconnaissance missions during D-Day and Operation Market Garden in 1944. For his service, he was awarded five medals of honor. 🎖️

U.S. Army veteran Dominick Critelli talks about freedom and plays the saxophone

In our recent interview, Mary Roberts from England sheds light on the vital role women played during the Second World War. 💬

Interview with Mary Roberts

The 100-year-old emphasises the importance of teaching all generations about the lessons of war, otherwise we will repeat it.

Interview with Jack Einstein 

Wars affect not only those who are actively involved, but all people. For this reason, commemorations should include all segments of the population. 🕯

Interview with Aart van Bolhuis 

The biggest airborne operation in history exactly 80 years ago was supposed to capture important bridges over the Lower Rhine River in the Netherlands and enable an Allied offensive against Germany.

Interview with Jory Brentjens, curator of the Airborne Museum

As part of the National Committee for 4 and 5 May, she is responsible for the celebrations that take place during these present months to commemorate the liberation of the Netherlands. 🇳🇱

Interview with Femke Klein,  coordinator of 80 Years of Freedom in the Netherlands

In the museum, visitors can learn about what occupation and liberation meant for the civilians in Belgium and the Netherlands during the Second World War.

Interview with Peter Schrijvers

She was accompanied by Gerard Wuyts, who witnessed Operation Market Garden as a child and whose story is told in the museum. Participants in the 10-day-long hike commemorate the liberation of the Netherlands 80 years ago and celebrate the freedom it brought. 🗺️ Starting in Leopoldsburg, the 10-day walking relay will continue through the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Limburg, finally reaching Arnhem in Gelderland.

Marieke van Kessel shares her thoughts on the walking relay “Freedom Trail”

Unlike many oher camps, Kamp Vught was never liberated; it was closed after the last prisoners were transferred to other concentration camps. In this interview, Jeroen van den Eijnde talks about the camp’s history, the development of the memorial, and the ongoing efforts to educate people about the past, ensuring its relevance for future generations.

Memorial Camp Vught : Interview with Director Jeroen Van Den Eijnde

During our visit, we attended various commemorative events and spoke with several veterans, visitors and historians!

80th Anniversary of Normandy's Historic Landings

We interviewed Bruce Crompton from Combat Dealers and Amazing War Stories about the importance of remembrance.

Interview with Bruce Crompton

Listen to the memories of two attendees of the Ranville War Cemetery Ceremony. A father (Stuart Randall) and a son (Jonathan Randall) share their stories of their ancestor Peter Robinson, who fought at Merville Battery.

Interview with the Randall family

🕯️ 25,000 candles placed on various Commonwealth Cemeteries in Normandy, one for each soldier fallen during the 1944 campaign.During the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery ceremony, Lucy Balin from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission explains this unique tribute paid to those who died in service.

Ceremony at Canadian War Cemetery

The ceremony commemorates the bold action conducted on June 6, 1944, by the British 6th Airborne Division. During the assault, the British forces captured two key bridges located at the Caen Canal and the Orne River which marked a pivotal event during the Normandy landings.

Video's

Interview met Jim Parks