D-Day 80th Anniversary: Thousands to Honour WWII Heroes
Thousands of Armed Forces personnel and members of the public are gearing up for huge events in Normandy and Portsmouth this June. The nation will unite to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the pivotal WWII invasion that helped liberate Europe.
PM Rishi Sunak Leads Tributes
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will spearhead tributes on 5 and 6 June 2024, with commemorations held both in Portsmouth and on Normandy soil. Thousands will join veterans of the Greatest Generation, Armed Forces members, and special guests to honour those who fought bravely on D-Day.
“The country will pay tribute to the heroes who fought against the odds to liberate Europe 80 years ago,” Sunak said. “We can never forget those who sacrificed so much to defend the freedom of the UK and our closest allies.”
Moving Ceremonies Across Land and Sea
- On 5 June, Portsmouth’s Southsea Common will host a ticketed event featuring powerful veteran testimonies and military orchestra performances.
- D-Day veterans travelling to Normandy will get a grand Armed Forces send-off crossing the Channel, including a Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast and Royal Navy ships sailing in formation with sirens blaring.
- The evening will see a stunning lightshow at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Bayeux War Cemetery, with the names of 25,000 fallen heroes read aloud.
- On 6 June, the Ministry of Defence and Royal British Legion will hold the UK national commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, featuring the Last Post and a two-minute silence.
More than 1,600 Armed Forces members will lead the France ceremonies. Highlights include a Royal Marines landing craft, five patrol vessels, minesweeper HMS Cattistock, and the British Army’s Red Devils parachute display team.
Defence Secretary Hails the Tribute
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps praised the Armed Forces’ role, saying: “The 80th anniversary of D-Day serves as a reminder never to forget those who fought and died so we might live in freedom and at peace. Their testimony is a timeless symbol of unity, peace, and the pursuit of freedom against tyranny.”
“The eyes of the world will once again be on these men and women, and I am proud of the Armed Forces’ work to honour the heroes of D-Day this June.”
