Brexit Forces British Paratroopers To Go Through French Customs In D-Day Anniversary Jump

Marking 80 years since Allied troops converged on Normandy, France from land, sea, and air in a pivotal battle, a massive anniversary celebration kicked off this week. British RAF paratroopers (joined by Belgians and Americans) jumped into a rural French field just like they did on June 6, 1944. This time, however, they were met with French government officials and red tape instead of Nazi assholes and gunfire. Upon landing, the American and British drops were ushered to a makeshift passport control station at a folding table in the field, while the Belgians, who are EU citizens, were allowed to continue on without checks.

British paratroopers have passports checked after parachuting into France for D-Day event

Jonathan Monti, a French immigration official, told The Sun: “We are doing immigration control and we are not supposed to do it in a field. But for this special event, for the 80th anniversary, we are welcoming the UK soldiers.”

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Since the passing of the Brexit referendum, UK citizens have not been able to freely pass through European Union borders. Considering this was an official Royal Air Force operation on foreign soil, anniversary celebration or not, the soldiers were lucky to have been allowed on the ground at all.

Despite protestations from (ironically pro-Brexit) British tabloids, the soldiers involved seem to have not been too bothered by the minor delay of game.

Brigadier Mark Berry, the commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, told The Sun: “It is something we haven’t experienced before, but given the royal welcome we have had from every other feature, it seems like a very small price to pay for coming to France.”

Over 300 paratroopers were met with cheers from gathered crowds when they landed. For their part, the passport controls were merely following European Union protocols for checking in foreign travelers.

The battle at Normandy 80 years ago marked a real turning point in World War II. This was the beginning of earnest efforts to liberate France from Axis control, and laid a foundation for Allied victory on the Western front. Then-Major General Dwight D. Eisenhower led the efforts, with the battle kicking off just after midnight on June 6. A full 24,000 airborne troops were launched on the area. The battle’s objective, recovering the town of Caen, was not achieved until July 21. Allied casualties are documented to have exceeded 10,o00. It was, without a doubt, the most ambitious military undertaking of the war.