Next month, thousands of people, including ex-servicemen and their families, royalty, and numerous world leaders like the President of the United States, will gather in the north of France to remember and honour a remarkable moment in history.

They will be meeting around the beaches of Normandy, where 80 years ago the D-Day landings – the operation which began the Allied liberation of continental Europe – took place.

The Second World War is still a period of history which elicits fascination, respect, and oftentimes horror. The war was a period where every day there were phenomenal technological, social, and political changes which are still being felt today – and which are still subject to debate and study.

Yet there were particular moments in the war which we can look back on as being pivotal in deciding its course – and one of those is the D-Day landings.

D-Day (the first day of Operation Overlord) took place on the 6th June in 1944. The combat actually began not with the seaborne landings, but with an airborne assault – with more than 18,000 British and American troops being parachuted or gliding into enemy territory to protect flanks. They were successful in achieving their objectives despite a number of serious setbacks, and they laid the groundwork for the larger sea landings.

The sea landings themselves were the largest amphibious invasion in history – with more than 132,000 Allied troops leaving the shores of England and landing on continental Europe that day, primarily made of British, American and Canadian men – but also others. It was the culmination of years of planning, secrecy, and astounding military and logistical build up.

Of course, the war was far from over after the success of the Normandy landings – and bitter fighting into the heart of Germany would take place until the Nazi regime had no choice but complete surrender. But that moment, and the astonishing amount of preparation that went into it, signified that the tide had truly turned in the course of the war. Had those brave men not succeeded, the consequences are difficult to imagine.

I think that what fascinates us so much about that day is the scale. The enormous amount of preparation and the history-altering nature of the event mixed with amazing individual experiences and acts of unimaginable bravery on a personal level is incredibly compelling.

Next month will be a time to remember those who fought for the freedom of Europe, and especially those who gave their lives doing so. It will also be a moment for celebration, to mark the success of one of the most audacious and well executed operations in history. I will enjoy seeing what is planned in Normandy itself, where the inhabitants do such a great job in keeping alive the memory of those who fought. But we will also be marking the day with a number of events here in Carlisle and Cumbria, and I do hope that the younger generation especially can take part and learn about this astonishing moment in history.

It was a truly remarkable event – and those who took part deserve nothing less than our utmost respect. But let us also hope that such an extraordinary mobilisation will never need to happen again.