D-Day 75th anniversary coverage begins

This weekmarks 75 years since14,000 Canadian troops stormed the beach at Normandy to fight the battle that would ultimately lead to the liberation of Europe.

On June 6, 1944, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, reinforced by the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade faced a well-armed German army on Juno Beach, which was littered with mines.

That day, 359 Canadian soldiers were killed, another 715 were wounded. Total Allied casualties on D-Day numbered more than 10,000.

CBC News's coverage of the anniversary begins Wednesday at 6 a.m. ET, with a commemorative eventfrom Portsmouth, England the point from whichmany troops left on ships to fight on the shores ofFrance.

Hundreds of veterans will take part, boarding a ship that will sail to Normandy. The British air force will see them off with a fly-over of vintage aircraft.

The Queen and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are expected to attend.

At 10 a.m. ET, the focus will shift to the site where more than 2,000 Canadian soldiers are buried.

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces will be joined by Canadian leaders and students to honour them at theBny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery.

Trudeau is expected to join French Prime Minister douard Philippe at a ceremony at Juno Beach in France at noon ET.

On Thursday, The National's Adrienne Arsenault will host D-Day coverage from the Juno Beach Centre in France.

The special begins at 5 a.m. ET on CBC-TV, CBC News Networkand cbcnews.ca. You can also watch it on CBC Gem, CBC News,YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

The event will honour all Allied forces who fought in the 11-week Battle of Normandy, including the 50,000 who died. Several dozen Canadian veterans are expected to be there.

On radio, World Report'sNil Kksalwill host an hour-long broadcast featuring highlights from the day. Programming starts at 2 p.m. locally across the country, and can be heard on CBC Radio One or the CBC Radio app.

At 1:30 p.m. ET, the coverage will shift to Halifax whereCanada's biggest commemoration will happen at theCitadel National Historic Site.

Veterans of the Second World War will be in attendance and honoured.