June 6 marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the most significant victory of the Allies in the Second World War
On 6 June 1944, almost 160,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy to invade northern France and fight for freedom in the Second World War. This week 75 years on, the country remembers those involved. In the words of The Queen, “These commemorations will provide an opportunity to honour those who made extraordinary sacrifices to secure freedom in Europe. They must never be forgotten.”
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of this pivotal operation, an exciting programme of events is taking place across the country.
A historic flight
A highlight is Daks over Duxford on 5 June. The skies over the Imperial War Museums’ Duxford branch in Cambridgeshire are set to fill with Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Dakota aircraft (or ‘Daks’). United from all corners of the globe, they will re-enact the flight across the Channel that preceded the seaborne invasion.
Back to the 1940s
In Portsmouth, a host of events is taking place until 9 June. The Portsmouth Revival Festival on 8 June will see music and dancing from the 1940s, military and vintage vehicles and a 1940s market, as well as a Red Arrows flypast.
Service of remembrance
On 6 June at 10.30am, the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, the country’s year-round site of remembrance, will hold a special remembrance service in honour of those involved in the D-Day landings.
For more background on the D-Day landings, see The D-Day landings
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