Veterans make 'symbolic crossing'
PORTSMOUTH, England -- Hundreds of veterans are making a "symbolic crossing" of the English Channel on their way to the D-Day commemorations in France.
Warships, ferries and a flotilla of other vessels set sail Thursday from the south coast of England, where troops left for the invasion of Normandy 60 years ago.
On the way, the 150 veterans will take part in a remembrance service and wreath-laying on the waves.
Spitfires will fly past the flotilla and a Lancaster bomber will drop a million poppies from its bomb bay -- a tribute to those who died in combat.
The flotilla is being led by the destroyer HMS Gloucester, followed by the Brittany ferry, the MV Normandie.
The French warship the Cassard, the USS Ross from America and HMCS Charlotte Town from Canada are also taking part in the crossing.
Once across the channel, the vessels are scheduled to go through the Pegasus Bridge, docking in Caen at 5:30 p.m.
The veterans will be attending commemorations of the D-Day landings, which took place on June 6, 1944.
More than 100,000 troops from Britain, the United States and Canada stormed the beaches of Normandy in northern France. The invasion was the turning point of World War II.
Dozens of world leaders are attending the commemoration, including U.S. President George W. Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and -- for the first time -- a sitting German leader, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
