2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings - more commonly known as D-Day. The operation on 6 June 1944 saw tens of thousands of soldiers cross the channel (a great many of them departing from Portsmouth) for a daring and dangerous operation to liberate occupied France. Now, some 80 years on, the United Kingdom and its WW2 allies are coming together to remember the operation and all those who took part.
D-Day 80 Events
National Commemoration
There will be a host of commemorative events taking place on both sides of the channel to mark D-Day 80. In Portsmouth there will be a large-scale event taking place on Southsea Common and broadcast live to the world on the BBC. It will be followed by commemorative events over in Normandy, where the French president has invited world leaders to honour those involved in D-Day.
D-Day veterans will be at the heart of the event, which will also feature military musicians, a Royal Air Force flypast and moving tributes from special guests. The Red Arrows have also confirmed their involvement, and there will be a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
On 5 June there will be two events:
There is a daytime commemoration (broadcast live on the BBC) which will pay tribute to D-Day veterans, and will feature musical performances, readings and famous faces. There were a very limited number of tickets for this, which have now sold out.
There will also be an evening event; a community vigil to fallen Allied soldiers who fought and died during D-Day operations, which will include live music performances and a broadcast from Bayeux War Cemetery in France.
Both events are now sold out, though you can still watch the daytime event live on the BBC, and get involved in the Armed Forces Day event on Saturday 8 June which is open to all.
If you were one of the lucky few to secure tickets, see the ticketing FAQs (PDF, 238KB) for further details. Additional ticketing information can be found in this FAQs document (PDF, 131KB).
Find out more about the government's plans for the event.
6 June Memorial Service
Portsmouth will mark the anniversary of D-Day itself in the traditional manner, with a memorial service at the D-Day Stone (located near South Parade Pier).
Final details are still being confirmed but you can keep up to date by checking the event listing.
Beacon Lighting
Beacons on both sides of the English Channel will be lit on 6 June to observe the bravery and sacrifice of those who secured the peace and freedom we enjoy today. The International 80th Anniversary D-Day Beacon will be sited at the British Normandy Memorial, with five more being lit on the beaches used for landing: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
Here, two beacons will be lit in Portsmouth at 9.15pm - one at HM Naval Base and another from Southsea Castle. These will represent the UK's principal beacon - though other locations across the country are being asked to join with their own from 9.30pm. The Naval Base beacon has been designed by a 25-year old engineer from BAE Systems, who has included samples of sand from the five Normandy Beaches.
Find out more on the D-Day Beacons website.
Armed Forces Day
Portsmouth will host its Armed Forces Day celebrations on the slightly earlier date of 8 June, to mark the D-Day 80 commemorations with a large-scale event open to all on Southsea Common.
There will be exciting displays throughout the day - see the event listing for all the details.
As well as all those noted above there will be a host of community events, performances, film screenings and more taking place right across Portsmouth to commemorate D-Day. See the event listings below for full details on what's going on.
Parking and travel information
Please note the city is expected to be very busy across the week of D-Day 80 events. In addition to this there will be some road closures in place, as well as changes to parking. See our blog for all the details.
The D-Day Story events
The UK's only museum dedicated solely to the Normandy Landings has much planned for this momentous anniversary - not just on 6 June but throughout the whole year. Head to The D-Day Story website for full details on the activities, which include pop-ups appearing in local libraries, family-friendly events, conferences, and more.
D-Day in 80 Objects
On the museum website you can also discover more about the wider Normandy Campaign through the ongoing D-Day in 80 Objects project. Throughout the run-up to this anniversary The D-Day Story has been showcasing an object each day relating to D-Day and those who took part. As well as objects from The D-Day Story collection, there have been others from national and international museums - each with their own story to tell.
You can follow along each day on the D-Day Story social channels, or head to the website to see all 80 and read more about each one.
Other national and international events
The UK government has set up a website to detail its own events, as well as those taking place in France. There is also further reading about why D-Day is so important and the partners involved in bringing together these commemorations. Read all about it on the gov.uk website.
Banner image credit: Solent Sky Services.
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