Tuesday, June 8, 2004 12:43
D-Day Anniversary events |
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| Normandy
Veterans sail out of Portsmouth |
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The
South has being paying tribute to the veterans of D-Day, 60 years
on from the events in Northern France which paved the way for the
end of World War II. |
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Hundreds
of D-Day veterans left Portsmouth on Saturday morning, bound once
again for the Normandy beaches.
Crowds lined the waterside to see the soldiers off as they made their
way by ferry across the channel for commemoration ceremonies in France.
They were accompanied by a floatilla of historic ships, including
D-Day landing craft. There was also a spectacular flypast by a Lancaster
bomber flanked by two Spitfires.
 Click
through the D-Day Anniversary Events Gallery
It marked the culmination of the veterans stay in Portsmouth - over
600 took part in a special parade at Castle Field in Southsea on Thursday
afternoon, with the salute taken by The Prince of Wales.
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| Thousands
cheered the veterans |
Thousands
of spectators watched the parade which was followed by a Beat the
Retreat ceremony by the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines.
During his visit to Portsmouth, the Prince of Wales also visited the
D-Day Museum in Southsea. It tells the full story of Operation Overlord,
from the planning through to the execution and aftermath.
As the home of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth played a crucial part
in the invasion, but the museum is also reflecting the contribution
made by the ordinary people of the city at a special 60th anniversary
exhibition.
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| Part
of the Overlord Tapestry |
The museum
is also home to the Overlord Tapestry. It was designed as a modern-day
Bayeux tapestry to tell the story and pay tribute to the heroism of
those who took part in D-Day.
The actual D-Day anniversary weekend is being marked in Portsmouth
with a massive line-up of events. Full details are on the D-day
60 website.
To help you get a better view of the action, the BBC's Big Screen
will be at Castle Field where it will be relaying the BBC's D-Day
programmes.
In Southampton, a drumhead service is being held at Mayflower Park
on Sunday 6th June at 3pm, with a spectacular flypast of a Supermarine
Spitfire and gigantic American B17G Flying Fortress. A landing craft
will lay wreaths on the water in tribute to those who died in the
liberation of Europe.
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| Southampton's
Western Docks (Photo: City Heritage Services) |
The City's
Oral History Unit is also staging an exhibition at the City Art Gallery
featuring photos, film and personal reminicences of Southampton in
the run up to D-day. It runs from 4th-12th June at the City
Art Gallery.
Meanwhile in Dorset, the county's role in the liberation plans is
recognised at a special exhibition at the Royal Signals Museum in
Blandford.
The county was the base for much of the US contingent. Many of the
D-Day fleet left from Weymouth while the airfield of Tarrant Rushton
launched the famous gliders which captured Pegasus Bridge.
At Manor Farm Country Park near Bursledon, you can re-live the
war years at a special week of 'living history' events. And Gosport's
Explosion! Museum tells the story of how the greatest invasion in
history was supplied from Priddy's Hard.
Many
other special events and exhibitions are taking place to mark the
60th anniversary of D-day. Get
the full list here.
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