Alan Roy is a Canadian veteran visiting France for the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

Yesterday, I watched as a Canadian D-Day veteran was mobbed in front of the Juno Beach Centre.
Dan Gallipeau, a Life Member of the Legion from Montreal had a lineup of Canadian visitors, French locals and a few U.S. tourists waiting to speak with him and to offer their thanks.
Dan switched back and forth between French and English languages with ease as he conversed with each individual and stood for pictures.  He created such a stir that two local police officers saluted and came over to meet him. Then a CTV team asked if they could interview him.

The amount of vintage military vehicles that I have seen on the highways traveling to Caen and then to the landing beaches has been incredible. Literally hundreds and I certainly didn’t see them all. Driven, towed, trailered and I saw 24 jeeps transported by 3 modern car carrying transport trucks.

They roam the beach roads in packs. Going from one beach to another in packets and stopping to gather for lunch or display at strategic points. Ranging from motorcycles to jeeps to staff cars, ambulances, deuce and a half trucks, tank transport tractors, Bedford trucks and even a Weasel Armoured car.

They are coming by ferry; through the Chunnel and by overland from the continent.

As one of the British re-enactors said:  “It was easier to leave the stuff behind than it was to ship it all back home”.
Todat  is the cemetery service at Beny-sur-Mer. It will be the first official ceremony conducted by Veterans Affairs Caqnada.

The Juno Beach Centre is closed today (Thursday) for a special visit by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

The Centre is also closed Friday, 06 June in preparation for the ceremonies at 17:00hrs.

If you don’t have a vehicle pass to get past the security cordon on 06 June, you will be stopped in Caen where you will de barque and load onto buses for shuttle to the beach of your choice.

The highway digital notice boards have been warning of closures on 06 June at 0600 for weeks.