Veterans mark 65th D-Day anniversary

Franco-American cafe manager Marc Gillingham and wife Maryse in Le Molay-Littry, in his cafe, before the official ceremonies commemorating landings on the beaches of Normandy begin Photograph: Mychele Daniau/AFP/Getty Images

A second world war vehicle on the Arromanches-les-Bains beach Photograph: Mychele Daniau/AFP/Getty Images

US war veteran Arden Earll of H Company 116th infantry regiment salutes as he attends a flag-lowering ceremony at the US war cemetery in Coleville-sur-Mer overlooking Omaha Beach in Normandy Photograph: Mal Langsdon/Reuters

US veterans take part in a ceremony at the American war cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer Photograph: Mal Langsdon/Reuters

D-Day veteran George Taylor, 86, a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, walks along the beach in Arromanches Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

George Taylor (left), Percy Lewis of the 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion and Tony Richardson (right) of the 147th Essex Yeomanry, on the beach in Arromanches Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

US war veteran William Tritt, 86, of the 82nd Airborne 508 PIR, holds the folded American flag as the military bugle was played at the flag-lowering ceremony in Coleville-sur-Mer Photograph: Mal Langsdon/Reuters

Normandy Veterans at Belfast international airport on their way to the beaches of Normandy yesterday Photograph: Paul Faith/PA

Normandy veteran, George Thompson, who was a telegraphist with the Royal Navy, sits in a wartime jeep at Belfast airport Photograph: Paul Faith/PA

Veteran Albert Deade, 88, of the RAF ground crew, who landed in France the day after D-Day with the combined operations forces, leads his grandson, Matthew Doyle, through the war cemetery in Bayeux Photograph: Ian Nicholson/PA

A visitor in a US war uniform walks amongst the crosses in the US war cemetery in Colleville-Sur-Mer. An official memorial ceremony will be tomorrow at the American cemetery Photograph: Ian Langsdon/EPA

Normandy invasion veteran Corporal Jim Baker, a former British Royal Marine of 544 Assault, holds the Distinguished Service Medal that was pinned on him by King George VI in 1944, on the waterfront in Bernieres-sur-Mer Photograph: Chris Helgren/Reuters

A US jeep drives by Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer beach during preparations for the upcoming D-Day celebrations. US President Barack Obama is to lead commemorations attended by thousands of Americans tomorrow at the ceremony above Omaha Beach, where more than 9,000 US troops fought and died in June 1944 Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

Corporal Jim Baker views the waterfront in Bernieres-sur-Mer. Baker, from Blackpool, England, led men of the Canadian army's La Regiment de la Chaudiere on D-Day 65 years ago to the spot now known as Queen's Own Rifles House Photograph: Chris Helgren/Reuters

Canadian veterans of the Normandy invasion pose for photos before a dinner hosted at a former abbey in St-Ouen-le-Pin Photograph: Chris Helgren/Reuters

Normandy veterans Frank Allen (L), 85, and Cyril Askew, 92, both from Liverpool, England, enjoy a pint of beer in the bar on the ferry from Portsmouth to France Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

A Normandy veteran takes in the sea view on the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen in France Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Philip Read (R), 85, an ex-commando and Normandy veteran, is helped by his son out to the deck of a ferry as he heads to Normandy for the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

A Normandy veteran laughs as he adjusts his blazer and walks onto the deck to take in the view on the ferry Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Philip Read, 85, an ex-commando and Normandy veteran takes in the view on the deck on the ferry Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

George Cross, a 100-year-old Normandy veteran from Liverpool, England looks at French money he was issued in June 1944 Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Veterans (l-r) Bill Walker, 85, John Salmon, 87, Wally Stockley, 84 and his wife Margaret Stockley, 84, chat as they sit on the cross channel ferry Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Veterans wait to disembark from the cross channel ferry Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Normandy veterans Frank Allen (r), 85, and Cyril Askew, 92, look at the French coastline as they cross the channel from Portsmouth Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Second world war vehicles arrive in Arromanches-les-Bains Photograph: Mychele Daniau/AFP/Getty Images

Douglas Baines, 84, of 12th Yorkshire Parachute Regiment, watches a parachute drop by 3 Para at Pegasus Memorial, in Ranville. The Normandy Veterans Association, for whom the occasion marks the last visit to France as a group, will be attending a service and parade at Colleville-Montgomery Photograph: Ian Nicholson/PA