On June 6, 1944, and the days and weeks following, allied forces from 13 nations (including Canada) participated in Operation Overlord also known as D-Day. On that momentous day in June, almost 150,000 Allied troops landed or parachuted into the invasion areas on Normandy beaches.
The invasion was to land allied forces on beaches code named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword on a 100-km length of shoreline in Normandy France to open a western front to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation.

Canada made a significant contribution to the D-Day operation. Canadian forces led the D-Day assault at Juno Beach at Courseulles, Saint-Aubin France, they were supported by British, Free French and Free Norwegian personnel. The Canadian First Army (3rd Infantry Division and 2nd Armored Division) landed on the shores or parachuted into Normandy in the early hours of June 6, 1944, with more than 14,000 Canadian troops supported by 127 Royal Canadian Navy Ships and 10,000 sailors and 39 Squadrons of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Canadian forces suffered over 1,096 casualties on the day and 381 young men were killed in action. Over the course of the entire D-Day and Normandy invasion operation Canadian forces suffered over 18,700 casualties and over 5,000 Canadian soldiers, sailors and airmen lost their lives. The total cost to Allied forces and German forces on D-Day and the days following the operation was staggering in casualties and lives lost both to Allied and German servicemen and to French civilians. The D-Day operation ultimately led to the end of World War 2 in Europe which started on September 1, 1939, and ended May 8, 1945.

On June 6, 2024, we will gather at the Bragg Creek Cenotaph we will mark the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion in a short act of remembrance.
We will gather at two times on June 6th, once at 6:15AM that marks the moment in time the forces landed on those Normandy beaches, and then again at 9:00AM.
We welcome anyone from the community or surrounding area to come and join us at either event on June 6th.

Bragg Creek Remembrance Day Committee