The sailors, marines, soldiers and airmen who helped pave the way for the liberation of Europe have been honoured on the 74th anniversary of the Normandy Landings.

Services of remembrance were held in Bayeux, France to mark 74 years since Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy on 6th June 1944, paving the way for the liberation of France and the end of the Second World War.

Veterans of D-Day have also been invited to register with the Royal British Legion to take part in the 75th anniversary commemorations planned for June 2019.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

The Normandy Landings were the vital springboard to the liberation of Europe and the end of the Second World War. The breath-taking bravery and ingenuity shown during those days still echo through today’s armed forces.

At D-Day 75 the eyes of the world will be on these men once more. To enable us to do them justice it’s important we find as many veterans as possible and let them know how to participate. We will never forget the debt we owe for the peace and freedom we now enjoy.

The Royal British Legion is working with partners including the Government, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the Normandy Memorial Trust and the Spirit of Normandy Trust to plan significant commemorations to mark D Day 75 both in France and the UK.

Contacting the Royal British Legion or registering on the Legion’s D Day 75 website will enable the partners to communicate with the veterans and their families as plans are confirmed and more details are released.

Last year, the Prime Minister announced funding for the new memorial in Normandy. The Prime Minister and French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the inauguration of the project in June next year as part of the 75th anniversary commemorations.

The Defence Secretary was among several high-profile speakers at the 17th annual Shangri-La Dialogue Asia Security Summit, in Singapore, where he emphasised the need for partners to come together to tackle shared and increasing challenges.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

Standing united with allies is the most effective way to counter the intensifying threats we face from countries that don’t respect international rules.

Together with our friends and partners we will work on a more strategic and multinational approach to the Indian Ocean region – focussing on security, stability and environmental sustainability to protect our shared prosperity.

Before heading to the summit, the Defence Secretary travelled to Malaysia, where he met with his new counterpart, Mohamad bin Sabu.

From there, he travelled to Brunei to observe a display of skills from British jungle forces posted there, as well as taking time to speak to the soldiers and their families personally.

The Defence Secretary then moved onto the final leg of the trip, in Singapore, to attend the three-day Shangri-La Dialogue.

After listening to heads of state and other notable figures, as well as holding private bilateral meetings, Mr Williamson formed part of an expert panel alongside representatives from France and Singapore to discuss improving regional security co-operation.

A Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening defence ties between the UK and Singapore, was signed in the margins of the summit by Mr Williamson and his counterpart Ng Eng Hen.

He then visited personnel on board HMS Sutherland, which was docked nearby as one of three British ships that will form a largely unbroken naval presence in the region through 2018.

The Minister for Armed Forces has returned from Chile, Uruguay and Colombia, where he met senior military figures and politicians, and saw first-hand a range of ongoing projects.

Minister for Armed Forces Mark Lancaster said:

The UK has a proud and long-standing history with these nations, who are all playing their part to achieve prosperity and stability, at home and abroad.

It’s vital that we keep all of our international friends close, particularly as we prepare to leave the European Union and reinforce our relationships across the globe.

In Chile, Mr Lancaster met with Defence Minister Alberto Espina, Undersecretary of Defence, Cristían de la Maza, and the commander-in-chief of the navy, Commander Admiral Julio Leiva, having recently laid a wreath at Westminster Abbey to mark the 200th anniversary of the Chilean Navy.

The minister also went to the Chilean Army Military Academy, in Santiago, which provided an opportunity to reinforce its links with the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

On the Uruguay leg of the trip, he also met and praised staff at the renowned Uruguayan National Peacekeeping School. The school has trained more than 900 personnel from the country to be deployed to one of the most challenging UN Peacekeeping missions, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Defence Minister also discussed a post-Brexit relationship and collaboration on joint exercises, including counter-terrorism training, with Uruguay’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Rodolfo Nin Novoa and the Defence Minister Dr Jorge Menendez.

In Colombia, the minister met the Head of the Army, General Ricardo Gomez Nieto, the Deputy Defence Minister Anibal Fernández de Soto and the Chief of the Defence Staff General Alberto Mejia Ferrero. These meetings presented an opportunity to reaffirm defence ties between the two ties and demonstrate continued support to the Peace Process.

Soldiers at Perham Down are benefitting from a new sports facility, which has been delivered by Aspire Defence for the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Army Basing Programme (ABP).

The ABP is a joint army and Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) programme, which is providing the facilities the British Army needs to live, work and train in the UK as it returns from Germany, rebases across the UK and restructures to its future Army 2020 formations.

Providing quality physical training facilities supports the army’s commitment to training and sport. Alongside sports facilities, the ABP will also deliver modern, purpose built single living and working accommodation for soldiers, from dining facilities and offices to vehicle garaging, stores and technical buildings.

The new pitch was constructed by Aspire Defence Capital Works (ADCW) and is just one of many essential assets being delivered at Perham Down. A Regimental Headquarters, several Junior Ranks’ single living accommodation (SLA) blocks and an Officers’ SLA block have already been handed over. An Officers’ Mess and gym are currently under construction.

Rhod McGregor, Project Director TidNBul (ADCW), said:

We’re very pleased to hand over this pitch as part of our wider delivery of ABP infrastructure at Perham Down. We continue to maintain an efficient pace of build progress across all our construction sites, to ensure we deliver the right assets at the right time for the army.

All ABP infrastructure across Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) and at Aldershot is being delivered under Aspire Defence’s 35 year Project Allenby/Connaught (PAC) contract, held with the MOD since 2006.

Mark Duddy, ABP Programme Director, said:

As we near peak ABP construction phase this summer, we’re delighted with the high standard of accommodation being delivered for soldiers across SPTA. The ABP is delivering real and lasting improvements across the defence estate, ensuring that British soldiers live, work and train in the best possible environments.