Weymouth set to celebrate 80th anniversary of D-Day
'A raft of exciting plans' are being worked on by the Town Council
Weymouth's set to be a focus for celebrations in Dorset to mark 80 years since the D-Day landings during World War Two.
The Town Council say they're planning a 'raft' of activities, allocating £5,000 of its budget to organising events, with help from Portland Town Council and Dorset Council.
What's planned?
The events agreed so far for the anniversary on Thursday 6th June include:
- Two early evening sessions at Nothe Fort, each accommodating up to 400 visitors, featuring a D-Day exhibition, entertainment and potential talks or workshops.
- A ticketed beacon lighting event for dignitaries at Nothe Fort, with 100 tickets made available to the public.
- A 1940s-themed van serving up portions of the seaside classic fish and chips at the Nothe.
- A bid's been made for an RAF flypast, submitted by Group Captain RAF (Retd) R J Tripp, on behalf of Weymouth and Portland - that could be visible across the Isle of Portland and Weymouth Bay at approximately 11.00am on the 6th, but is weather dependent and subject to national commitments.
- The Nothe Fort is developing an exhibition highlighting the human cost of D-Day, through models, videos, newspaper reports, voice recordings and images from Weymouth Museum, while designed to be family-friendly.
- A possible static display of military vehicles either on Weymouth’s seafront or at the fort.
- A local Weymouth Punch and Judy operator is designing a WWII / D-Day themed show, which will be free to watch on the seafront in its regular location.
Cllr Ryan Hope, Chair of Environment and Services Committee, said:
“Weymouth is set to be the place to be for people wishing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. We’re proud to be able to support our Armed Forces community by putting on a wide range of events to honour them, and also attract visitors to the town who might even view Weymouth differently when confronted with its rich military history. These events are in addition to our annual Armed Forces Weekend which takes place over the weekend of June 22nd and 23rd.”
Cllr Christine James, Weymouth Town Council’s Armed Forces Covenant Champion, added:
“Weymouth’s historical connection with D-Day has been well documented and so it’s fitting that the town will become a focal point for those wishing to reflect on the past while also learning more about what happened in the run up to D-Day. Thousands of troops prepared to disembark from Weymouth harbour to play their part in one of the biggest military operations in history, and 80 years on, it is still just as important to remember the sacrifices they made.”
The plans will now go to Full Council for consideration on Wednesday 20th March.