D-Day 80: Portsmouth Royal Marines captain "privileged" to give powerful performance on stage at commemoration

Captain Lewis Kelly, of Lee-on-the-Solent, said he was privileged to be a part of commemorations on Southsea Common, standing shoulder to shoulder with the King and veterans. The 29-year-old stood alongside Lt Felicity Villar and FS Dai Lawrence spoke of how the Tri-Service came together during the Normandy Landings.

Capt Kelly said it was an emotional moment given the feedback from the audience, and it was a great honour to be on stage. He told The News: “It has been a pleasure to be a part of it. “I was a bit nervous backstage. There’s a lot of senior people there, especially the King and all the veterans, so it was a bit nerve-wracking.

“The whole tri-service coming together to put on this show was amazing. Everyone has done it with a big smile on their face, because they know how important this moment is in history. Everyone wants to be here and show their gratitude for those who laid their lives down before us.”

Portsmouth took centre stage for the poignant commemorations, complete with diary readings from soldiers and speeches from veterans still alive to tell their stories. Capt Kelly said the event engaged the groups of schoolchildren who were in the audience.

“It’s really important to get that message across about the history of this big moment in time,” he added. “It’s a great honour to be a part of the Royal Marines. Those are on D-Day set the foundations for what Royal Marines Commandos are, and we are still run by the same ethos, mindset and determination as those before us.”

King Charles III paid tribute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to fight for democracy and their country in 1944. The Royal Navy First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, said it’s incredibly important to remember the courage, commitment and ingenuity of those involved in the D-Day landings.

“As you wander around, you see so many people smiling and engaging with the event. Everyone knows how important it is and I can’t find anyone who doesn’t feel incredibly privileged to be a part of the event,” he added. The First Sea Lord, 58, said the veterans were very reflective of the memories they still hold on to.

“There aren’t very many of them left and often you will find they remember the stories of their mates who lost their lives and aren’t around,” he added. “I’m struck by their humility and humour. They’ve got the wisdom of age and they’re enjoying themselves. They set such a wonderful example to us all about what service of the nation means and how that has been reflected through their lives. They are wonderfully disrespectful of rank, which they have every right to be

“What strikes us all when talking to veterans, especially the young sailors, is how young they were at the time. So many of those involved in the D-Day landings were not much older than those who left school. Some lied about their age to be there. They were motivated by a noble sense of what is important.

“We recognise the importance to commemorate, none of us were there. We don’t know what it was like, the fear they must have felt when they approached the beaches and the long periods of waiting before the fleet set sail. It’s important we draw from those who were, because the sacrifices they made 80 years ago and what that lead to were so important.”