'I never got taught!' Ben Leo and Nana Akua blast schools for failing to teach WW2 history: 'Young people should know'

Co-host Ben Leo responded: "I think the polls show that, unfortunately, they wouldn't. I was just speaking to Sir Michael Ellis about this.

"I don't recall learning much about D-Day or World War II during history lessons at school, and I dread to think what it's like now. I don't think young people today are learning about D-Day."

Nana added: "I hear my little one, he's only eight, talking about the Fire of London and other historical topics, but he hasn't really mentioned the wars.

"He tells me everything, so I know it hasn't come up. I don't remember learning about that either. I remember the slave trade, which was taught in a way that wasn't very accurate, but I don't remember D-Day at all."

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Sir Michael Ellis later added: "You and Nana were talking about young people not being taught about World War II, but there are so many extraordinary and exciting stories that should be taught stories that would fascinate young people.

"For example, only one Victoria Cross was awarded on D-Day itself, and that went to a colour sergeant major named Hollis.

"He led a firefight against Nazi forces on his own and repeatedly returned, machine-gunning enemy lines.

"The bravery of that man alone is a story well worth reading about. And that’s just one of many."

WATCH: Sir Michael Ellis discusses compulsory national service

The presenters' remarks coincided with commemorations in Normandy, where tens of thousands gathered to honour the Allied forces who stormed the beaches 81 years ago.

The D-Day invasion involved nearly 160,000 allied troops, including 83,000 from Britain and Canada, in what became the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles assembled to breach Hitler's western defences.

The operation resulted in 4,414 allied deaths on D-Day alone, with the subsequent Battle of Normandy claiming 73,000 allied lives and leaving 153,000 wounded.

Veterans in their late 90s and older returned to the French beaches for ceremonies including parachute jumps, parades and historical re-enactments, as observers reflected on the sacrifice that ultimately led to the collapse of Adolf Hitler's regime.

Nana questioned whether young people should "face some sort of compulsory military service" to educate them, and Ellis responded: "This is something that's been explored before, whether it it would also include some type of social service for those that don't want to engage in the military.

"That's a debatable point, but I do think we can't expect our country to be protected and our rights and our freedoms to be protected by an ever decreasing number of military personnel.

"The responsibility is for all of us to cherish what we have and the rights and freedoms that the fallen 22,500 fell for on that day."