OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on his way to Normandy, France, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

Around 160,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches on June 6, 1944, in what’s now known as the beginning of the end of the Second World War.

In all, 4,414 Allied troops were killed that day, including 381 Canadians.

Trudeau is set to attend a Canadian ceremony at Juno Beach on Thursday before heading to an international ceremony at nearby Omaha Beach.

Canada’s delegation also includes 13 Second World War veterans, the oldest of whom is 104.

Marie-Eve Vaillancourt, the executive director of the Juno Beach Centre, says there are Canadian flags on display throughout the villages around the beach, and people in the area have not forgotten the sacrifice of the Canadian troops.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2024.

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press