See This Touching Reunion of WWII Enemies on D-Day Anniversary

Two Young Soldiers, Opposite Sides

On D-Day, 81 years ago, two young soldiers prepared for war without ever meeting. One was Paul Galtz, an 18-year-old German soldier. The other, Harry Read, was a British paratrooper just a year older. Both were sent into the chaos of Normandy, fighting for different causes under enemy flags.

Now aged 95, Harry Read returned to Normandy and jumped from a plane to mark the anniversary, just as he had in 1944. After the war, he spent most of his life working for the Salvation Army. Forgiveness became a part of who he was, but even he admitted feeling uncertain before meeting Paul. “I will accept him,” Harry said, adding, “I can’t be at odds with someone I never knew. I just feel love.”

Memories of War and Loss

Paul Galtz, now 94, visited the German cemetery in Normandy—a quiet place marked by rows of dark crosses. It reminded him of the day he surrendered to an American tank crew on the beaches. He remembered being told by soldiers, “It’s over for you,” and tossing away his pistol in defeat. Facing a tank with a small weapon made no sense to him.

After the war, Paul faced even more loss. His village in eastern Germany became part of Poland. His father was killed, and his sister was assaulted by soldiers. Yet from that pain, a new life began. Paul became a prisoner of war in Scotland and the U.S., learned English, and later joined the diplomatic service. On D-Day, he had feared not just the invasion, but the advance of the Russians even more than the British or Americans.

A Meeting on Neutral Ground

Paul and Harry finally met in a café in Courseulles-sur-Mer, close to where they had once been enemies. They shook hands warmly. “We were on different sides, but now we’re partners in rebuilding the world,” Harry told him. Paul agreed, saying he was glad to see the man he once might have had to shoot.

They spoke about their past and about peace. Paul said young people should remember the lives lost in war and be thankful for decades without conflict. Harry said simply, “We’re more than former enemies—we’re brothers.”

Other Veterans Reflect

British veterans Bill Gladden and Deke Forrester, also D-Day survivors, watched the reunion. Neither had spoken much with German soldiers before. Deke remembered one called Willy, who visited Pegasus Bridge until his death, becoming almost like a mascot to returning British troops.

Bill recalled landing in a glider carrying a tank and motorcycles. He described how secretive the operation was, and how they trained at Larkhill before being taken to Dorset. Just days before D-Day, they were placed behind barbed wire to keep everything hidden.

The Cost of War

Their unit landed the first tank in a glider. Bill was riding one of the motorcycles when he was injured by enemy fire. He remembered those early days clearly—how scared he was and how real the danger felt. They lost many men, and memories of that time never left him.

The reunion between Paul and Harry, and the memories shared by Bill and Deke, show the human side of the war. Decades later, the wounds still exist—but so does the hope that peace will be remembered and kept.

Keep going for the video below: