The Normandy Veterans memorial is dedicated to all those who took part in D-Day and the liberation of Normandy in 1944. While the majority of the Australian forces were concentrated in the Pacific and the Japanese forces at this time, the Australian Army still had an active involvement in D-Day and the liberation of Europe. Roughly 3,300 Australian soldiers formed part of the invasion including from the 2,800 Royal Australian Air Force, 500 of the Royal Australian Navy and roughly 13 officers who were actively serving with the British Army.
While most of the Australian contribution was as both air and naval support, fourteen Australians died in combat on D-Day. These being 12 Royal Australian Air Force and two Royal Australian Navy. Many other airmen also sacrificed their lives in combat in the following days whilst supporting the ground troops in Normandy. After the Normandy landings by the Western Allied Forces, the Australian Air Force continued to support the campaign into North-West Europe.
The memorial inscription reads:
[Upper plaque]
Normandy Veterans Association logo
NORMANDY VETERANS ASSOCIATION
BRANCH NO. 98 SOUTH AUSTRALIATHIS MEMORIAL IS DEDICATED TO ALL
PERSONNEL WHO TOOK PART IN THE
LIBERATION OF NORMANDY D-DAY
JUNE 6TH 1944 TO AUGUST 20TH 1944LEST WE FORGET
UTAH OMAHA GOLD JUNO SWORD
GRANDCAMP VIERVILLE ARROMANCHES COURSEULLES ST ALBIN
SPONSORED BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
[Lower plaque]
THIS MEMORIAL ON JUNE 8TH 2003.
WAS UNVEILED BY
LT GEN SIR D. DUNSTAN. AC. KBE. CB. (RETDEDICATED BY
REV PETER. MILLER. TH L.NORMANDY VETERANS PRAYER
O ETERNAL LORD GOD, WHO HAS UNITED TOGETHER ALL VETERANS OF THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN,
GRANT WE BESEESH YOU. YOUR BLESSING AND GIVE
STRENGTH TO CARRY ON OUR WORK TO AID AND
BRING COMRADESHIP TO ALL NORMANDY VETERANS
AND JOY AND COMMON PURPOSE, THROUGHOUT OUR
ASSOCIATION. WE ASK THIS IN THE NAME OF JESUS
CHRIST WHOSE COURAGE NEVER FAILED.AMEN
