Letter: D-Day was not an allied invasion of Europe, rather it was a liberation

British and American troops land on the Normandy beaches on June 6 1944.. The dictionary ​defines invasion as an army incursion for conquest or plunder but this was the beginning of the liberation of occupied Europe. We give thanks for the miracle of the successful landings.

Today as we commemorate eighty years since the greatest amphibious operation in military history we give thanks for the miracle of the successful D-Day landings at Normandy, France on the 6th of June, 1944.

We must never forget all that was given to liberate Europe from the despotic and evil rule of Adolf Hiller and Nazi Germany.

One thing that annoys me however in the commemorations is the incorrectly stating, time and time again, that the D-Day landings were an invasion.

Letters to editor

This could not be further from the truth.

If you look up the definition of invasion in the dictionary it refers to the incursion of an army for conquest or plunder. The D-Day landings were anything but as the Allies included Free French soldiers so how can you invade your own country?

They were in fact a selfless joint military action by many nations including the rightful and lawful forces of German occupied countries to liberate Europe from Hitler’s grasp and finally bring freedom with victory in Europe on the 8th May, 1945.

Stevan Patterson, Castlederg