President Francois Hollande and 15 African leaders paid tribute Friday to the hundreds of thousands of troops who, 70 years ago, launched the southern invasion of occupied France that opened up a second western front against Hitler's Nazis, reports The West Australian.
After a colourful military ceremony on the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle under clear blue southern France skies, Hollande said Europe "should never forget that its salvation came from the south."
Hollande was joined on the carrier by 15 leaders from France's former African colonies, in recognition of the key role soldiers from these countries played in liberating France, two months after D-Day smashed the first hole in Germany's defences.
Around 240 veterans, many in their 90s, also took part in the commemorations on the vast grey warship, anchored off Toulon.
The actions of the troops from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia but also from former colonial possessions in sub-Saharan Africa were "decisive," Hollande said.
"By their sacrifice, these men bound our country to Africa with a bond of blood that no one can undo," said Hollande.
"To the youth of Africa, I want to say that we have not forgotten, even if France took too long to learn the lessons in terms of emancipation and recognition," he stressed.
And he pledged that Europe owed the countries to its south "what it gave us in 1944 -- support, solidarity, development."
After his speech, Hollande warmly greeted veterans, resplendent in their military uniforms and medals, many confined to wheelchairs.
Read more of this AFP report published by The West Australian.