This year marks 80 years since the D-Day landings. Every year on 6 June we remember the service and sacrifice of those who served in the Second World War.
D-Day was the largest seaborne invasion in history, marking the beginning of the liberation of France and Western Europe. D-Day was the name given to the 6 June, 1944 invasion of the beaches at Normandy in northern France. The battalion consisted of troops from a number of countries which included Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.
At the time, France was occupied by the armies of Nazi Germany. By the end of the day, nearly 156,000 allied soldiers had landed on the beaches.
The mission was initially planned for 5 June, 1944, but bad weather pushed it back a day. The date celebrates peace, liberty and reconciliation.
D-Day events in Bracknell Forest
There are lots of different celebrations happening across Bracknell Forest, and below is a list of the different places you can go to locally.
Crowthorne D-Day 80
Join Crowthorne Parish Council at the Morgan Recreation Ground on Thursday 6 June from 3.30pm. There will be a schools art show, WWII aeroplane models, a school choir, treasure hunt, fire engine, and much more.
The free family event will have evening entertainment from 6pm with food stalls, WWII songs, RBL beer tent and an outdoor cinema screening of Dunkirk (12), followed by the international tribute.
D-Day commemoration event in Bond Square
In honour of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Bracknell Forest Council and The Lexicon will be hosting an event in Bond Square on Thursday 6 June from 8pm to 9.30pm.
There will be speeches from the Mayor of Bracknell Forest, James Sunderland MP, and others. School pupils will recite commemorative war poems they have written as part of a competition run with local schools. To bring the event to a close, a beacon will be lit as part of the event.
D-Day 80 party in the park
Sunninghill and Ascot Parish Council are holding a D-Day party in the park on Thursday 6 June from 4pm to 10pm in Victory Field Recreation Ground, Sunninghill.
The event promises to be a fabulous evening, with great food, family entertainment and live music.
Sandhurst Freedom March
The Sandhurst Freedom March, arranged by Sandhurst Town Council, is a vibrant community event taking place on Saturday 15 June. It will begin at 12pm, where there will be community stalls and food. The order of events for the day will be:
- 1:30pm - Royal Military Academy will march down Yorktown Road
- 2:30pm - the parade and inspection will take place at Memorial Park
- 5:30pm - evening performances will take to the stage, featuring local bands and tribute acts, and a firework display will end the night
To read some D-Day reflections from those who were there and learn about this significant moment in history, visit the Royal British Legion's website.
