D-Day at risk of being 'overshadowed' as veteran issues warning over 'taking peace for granted'

Collins said: "While D-Day was vital in creating the peace and security we enjoy and perhaps take for granted, it has been overshadowed by popular - and mostly irrelevant - popular historical themes driven by a poorly educated and over-politicised approach."

The veteran, best known for his role in the Iraq War, explained "a broader understanding of the reality of D-Day is more important today than ever in the face of recent events".

He worries that "our children need to learn about D-Day so that it never needs to happen again".

Over 4,400 Allied soldiers were killed during the Normandy landings, with it being a pivotal moment in the history of World War Two.

Colonel Collins, whose eve-of-battle speech was displayed in the Oval Office by George W. Bush, warned that many details are being forgotten about the events, with current affairs damaging the historical record.

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He explained: "D-Day was crucial to the outcome of WWII since it ensured the Europe we know post the war.

"Had D-Day not happened with the UK, US, and Canadians, with some Poles and others, including the Free French pressing from Italy, Stalin would have succeeded in reaching the borders with Spain by the end of 1944.

"On D-Day itself, the beachhead that took the most territory, despite being one of the most heavily defended, was Juno Beach, where the Canadians suffered the fewest casualties of all the beaches."

Collins worries that the discussion of Donald Trump making Canada the 51st state of America threatens "the very sovereignty of Canada" and the importance it played in World War Two.

The veteran stated: "It would be worth Europeans reflecting that it was the Canadians who came with America and the UK to liberate them.

"We need to reflect that the vast bulk of the armies that landed were conscripts from the US, Canada and Great Britain, alongside volunteers from Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic."

Colonel Collins's comments come after data gathered from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission last year revealed that one in five young people "don't know" about the significance of D-Day.

The survey noted that one in 10 young people feel that the commemoration events are "boring" and "repetitive".

They felt the money for the commemorations could have been spent elsewhere.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Michele Jennings said at the time: "As the number of those with real experience of those historic events dwindles, we want to pass on the torch of commemoration so those human stories of sacrifice and heroism are able to be carried forward by younger generations."

As the number of veterans from that day continues to decline, Collins explained the significance of D-Day in a modern context.

He explained: "Europe would have looked very different from today.

"There is no certainty that Germany would have even continued to exist as an independent country in a Soviet-dominated Europe.

"D-Day was the event that provided the bargaining chips which the West had at the Yalta conference.

"While the outcome of that meeting was less ideal for many, including the Poles, it was a lot better than it would have been without D-Day."