Torpoint Town Council
D-DAY 80 COMMEMORATIONS
D-DAY80:
How the Nation and Torpoint will remember fallen heroes
On
Thursday, June 6 the nation will come together to remember the tens of
thousands of allied forces who gave service on D-DAY eighty years ago and
helped secure the peace we in the UK enjoy today.
From
early morning when the sun rises to evening as night descends, church bells
will ring out, special flags will be flown, schoolchildren will learn stories about
their great grandparents, town criers will proclaim the victory, the haunting
sound of bagpipes will fill the air and, in a final gesture of homage, beacons
and Lamp Lights of Peace will be lit to signify the light that emerged from the
dreadful darkness of war.
In
Sparrow Park, Town Mayor Councillor Gary Davis along with Councillors, the Town
Crier, children from Torpoint Nursery and Infant School and Carbeile Junior
School, also students’ from Torpoint Community College, will join hundreds of
others wanting to remember the brave men and women who took part, not only from
our country, but from America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Norway,
Greece, France, Czechoslovakia, Rhodesia, and Poland too.
Bruno
Peek CVO OBE OPR Pageantmaster of D-Day80, and of the 80-day countdown to June
6, 2024, says; “In 1944 Allied forces mounted the largest amphibious invasion
the world has ever witnessed. Operation Overlord, D-Day, saw over 5,000 ships
and landing craft set down more than 150,000 troops on the five Normandy
beaches that would bring about the liberation of north-west Europe from Nazi
occupation.
“In
order to commemorate the peace and freedom given to us through the bravery and
ultimate sacrifice of so many thousands involved in the D-Day landings, and
throughout the whole of WW11, beacons and Lamp Lights of Peace will be lit
across the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas
Territories - and in a very poignant and unique gesture, a special Lamp Lights
of Peace will be lit on each of the five beaches in Normandy, at 9.15pm local
time that night, to coincide with the lighting of beacons at that time too.
“The
light from the flames from the lamps and the beacons will represent the ‘light
of peace’ that emerged from the darkness of war, with the lamp providing a very
simple, safe, unique and cost effective way of taking part in this important 80th
anniversary occasion.”
The
programme of events for Torpoint is shared and will conclude in Rendel Park, there
will be a performance from Torpoint Sea Cadets Band at 8.30pm and at 9.15pm the
Torpoint beacon will be lit. Everyone is
welcome to attend, more information is available from admin@torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk.
Notes to Editors: More
details about the plans for D-Day80 can be found on the website www.d-day80beacons.co.uk