British woman who helped make the maps for D-Day landing among those awarded with French honor (2024)

Among those awarded a Legion of Honor — France's highest civilian and military award — today was British woman Christian Lamb.

Lamb, now 104 years old, enlisted in the army in 1939 as a first aid worker before eventually joining the Women’s Royal Navy Service – also known as the Wrens.

She proved herself as a capable mariner, and was quickly promoted through the ranks, ultimately posted to Winston Churchill’s War Rooms in London, where Britain’s war operations were planned.

She is credited with having made the maps for the D-Day landing.

Jake Larson, veteran and TikTok star, said that heroes gave up their life so that he could make it, while discussing the 80th anniversary of theD-Day landingsin Normandy.

"I don't think I was a hero. I, I was just like everybody else. We, we were all in this together," he told CNN's Christiane Amanpour.

Asked if he'd come back to Normandy again, Larson said, "Yes, I'd come back again just to honor all those that gave their life so that I could be here."

It’s been a perfect day for a "duck" ride on the shores of Normandy.

These World War II-era DUKWs — amphibious vehicles that became known more fondly as “ducks” — helped bring in around 40% of all supplies that came ashore on the beaches of Normandy starting on D-Day until mid-July.

They were crucial in bringing weapons and equipment straight from ships far from the coast, all the way up to the advancing front lines — so much so that the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe, Gen. DwightEisenhower, regarded them as as “one of the most valuable pieces of equipment produced by the United States during the war."

Eighty years on, the ducks are back off the coast of Normandy. Many are maintained by civilians like Denis Le Priol, who’s owned his for 30 years. He works year round and at great expense to keep his duck in working order. Every year on the anniversary of the largest amphibious landing in history, Le Priol brings his duck down to Arromanches-les-Bains — one of the beaches where British forces landed — “out of a duty of memory"

"A lot of people died for our freedom and I need to help the young generation understand what happened here," he said.

He said his favorite part is taking kids on board to pique their interest in what happened here.

“No amount of school books can achieve that," he says.

World leaders have come together on the beaches of Normandy to mark the 80th anniversary of theD-Day landings in Normandy.

US PresidentJoe Biden, French PresidentEmmanuel Macron, British Prime MinisterRishi Sunakand Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeauare among more than 20heads of state and government attending events on Thursday being held across Normandy to honor the nearly 160,000 Allied troops who fought there.

In his first overseas trip since being diagnosed with cancer, Britain’s King Charles III participated in a commemoration this morning held at the British Normandy Memorial, where he delivered a speech honoring those who fought in the Battle for Normandy and the French civilians and resistance fighters who lost their lives during World War II.

The British commemoration concluded with Charles and Macron, along with their spouses, laying wreaths to honor the troops who lost their lives.

Trudeau honored Canada’s efforts during the D-Day landing and the sacrifices of the country’s soldiers in a speech at his country’s commemoration in the small Norman town of Corseulles-sur-Mer on Thursday morning.

During the US D-Day 80-year anniversary commemoration at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, those in attendance heard Macron, Biden, Secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission Charles Djouand US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin give thanks to veterans and honored several who made the journey back to Normandy.

As the day continues, towns across Normandy are hosting theirown events. A larger international event organized by the French will also be held on Omaha Beach,where American troops suffered their heaviest casualties on D-Day.

British paratroopers were greeted by French customs officials when they landed in a Normandy field Wednesday as part of Thursday's D-Day commemorations.

Following Brexit, British citizens face enhanced border checks when entering the European Schengen zone.

Watch the moment here:

French President Emmanuel Macron honored 11 American veterans with the Legion of Honor, France's highest civilian and military award.

Macron told the veterans he was honoring them "for your bravery, for your service to our freedom."

The award was created in 1802 by Napoleon.

Here are the following American veterans who were given the honor:

About 150 American veterans made the journey to Normandy to commemorate the anniversary, about two dozen of whom fought on D-Day, according to Charles Djou, the secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), the independent agency responsible for managing US military cemeteries and monuments overseas.

Eighty years to the day after the "Placid Lassie’" first flew in the skies above France,towing American soldiers in a glider into battle, she soared once again over Normandy.

A troop-carrying C-47 aircraft, the Placid Lassie is one of seven World War II-era aircraft taking part in D-Day commemorations this week, kept flying by teams of volunteer pilots and mechanics.

Most of these aircraft from the United States-based D-Day squadron, an organization that put together the Placid Lassie's trip to Normandy this year alongside several other similar aircraft.

The journey took six days, as these aircraft were built for flight during another era. They require fuel, tools and spare parts not readily available on the market today, Zipkin said.

Zipkin believes that flying these planes is one of the most important ways to bring the history of WWII to life -- second only to the stories shared by the dwindling number of living veterans.

Without modern avionics, navigation or communication equipment, flying the aircraft is a visceral and tactile experience, one that demands mastering a new way of flying, Zipkin said.

However, growing costs and the advanced age of the air frames may make this the last time the public sees such a large formation of these veteran birds in flight in Europe.

He estimated that it costs the owners of the planes each $150,000 to $200,000 to make the journey one way.

As celebrations for the80th anniversary of D-Day are underway, actor Tom Hanks spoke with CNN's Christiane Amanpour about democracy, saying he believes the US and Western societies "cannot help but turn towards what is right."

"Our Constitution says, 'we the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union.' That journey to a more perfect union has missteps in it," Hanks said.

Watch here:

Speaking at a commemoration service marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, US President Joe Biden warned "the price of unchecked tyranny is the blood of the young and the brave."

His comments come on a day that Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion has been a major theme and frequent parallels have been drawn by numerous leaders. In his speech, the president drew direct parallels between Nazi Germany and the threats facing Western democracies today.

Here's what else to know about Biden's speech: