Canadian D-Day Veteran, 99, Returns to Juno Beach 80 Years Later

On a calm day in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France, a restored Second World War-era vehicle emerges from the waves, carrying 99-year-old Canadian veteran Jim Parks back to Juno Beach, where he landed on D-Day in 1944.

Arranged by Dutch friends specializing in historical re-enactments, the sea voyage is a surprise for Parks and a poignant moment for the dwindling group of Second World War veterans returning to the French shore where they made history.

Almost 160,000 troops, including 14,000 Canadians, landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944, marking the start of the bloody 77-day Battle of Normandy and the Allied liberation of France.

This week, Normandy hosts surviving veterans, including 13 Canadians aged 99 to 104.

Their arrival at the airport, greeted by French firefighters forming an honour guard, underscores the enduring gratitude felt by the region towards Canada.

The Juno Beach Centre, a memorial to Canadian Second World War veterans, will host this year’s national commemorative ceremony, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Veterans Affairs Minister Ginette Petitpas-Taylor in attendance.

Trudeau and the Canadian veterans will also participate in the international ceremony at Omaha Beach, expected to draw world leaders from 25 countries, marking what may be the last major anniversary with surviving veterans of the Battle of Normandy