D-DAY, TAKE 1
Royal Marines re-enact WW2 raid in Cornwall — as beach-lovers lark about with a football
Meanwhile, it has been revealed two planes have now been made available for Paras to jump from to mark the anniversary
ROYAL Marines commandos re-enact a daring World War Two raid in Cornwall — as beach-lovers lark about with a football.
Men from 47 Commando stormed Tregantle Beach, near Torpoint, in inflatable raiding craft to recreate a D-Day mission carried out by the Allies in France.
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Next month, 31 Marines from the unit will land on Normandy’s Gold Beach to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed two planes have now been made available for Paras to jump from to mark the anniversary.
We told yesterday how only one was spare, prompting Defence Secretary Grant Shapps to intervene.
Defence Minister James Cartlidge confirmed two A400s will now be taking part, with 181 people participating in the mass parachute drop.
He told the Commons: “The truth about the position in relation to D-Day, we will have two A400Ms available for June 5.
“The number of people that will be dropped is 181 and there’s a very good reason for that.
“It’s 181 because that is the number of paratroopers who at 16 minutes past midnight on D-Day itself landed and took the bridge that we named Pegasus.”
Former Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois later raised a point of order to tell Mr Cartlidge: “Pegasus Bridge was captured in a glider-borne assault by the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, not a parachute assault.
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“I know this because for D-Day 70 I was there with the then prime minister, David Cameron, at 12.16am to commemorate the assault.”
D-Day veteran Don Sheppard, 103, back on dispatch bike nearly 80 years on from op on Juno Beach, Normandy