During the D-Day commemorations, British parachutists have to undergo an unexpected passport check by French customs.
During the commemoration of the so-called “D-Day” in Normandy, British parachutists received an unusual welcome. As “Ouest France” reports, the British soldiers had to undergo an official passport check by French customs immediately after their show.
In a video published by Ouest France on X (formerly Twitter), several British parachutists can be seen immediately after landing, laden with heavy backpacks, making their way to the French officials who were waiting for them with folding tables set up in the middle of a meadow in Sannerville.
With a smile, the parachutists completed the mandatory process of passing through customs to get the correct stamp in their passport, according to Ouest France. Afterwards, they were rewarded with refreshments and the applause of spectators who had watched the reenactment of the Allied landing operation 80 years ago.
However, most of the soldiers had already expected the strange passport control: “They were informed in advance, so there were no surprises,” the newspaper quoted Jonathan Monti, the head of the regional customs office, as saying.
The official passport control was apparently necessary for administrative reasons, as Great Britain is no longer an official member of the visa-free Schengen area since leaving the European Union. The British soldiers had to show their ID when entering the country like other British citizens.
The commemorations commemorate June 6, 1944, the so-called
In addition to high-ranking politicians and the British royal family, many veterans are also taking part in the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
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