Hundreds of soldier silhouettes set to appear at Portsmouth's Fort Nelson
The installation of around 1500 soldiers has started at Fort Nelson
Hundreds of soldier silhouettes are set to appear at Fort Nelson as part of an installation project.
Charity, Standing with Giants, have created multiple of these silhouette designs in various places, including Normandy.
Now, Portsmouth's set to host 1,520 soldier silhouettes at its historic Fort Nelson to honour D-Day heroes.
Janette Barton, Project Coordinator for Standing with Giants, said: "It's absolutely wonderful.
"The military presence that would've been here as all the ships were preparing to go over to Normandy, and the impact it would've had on families.
"For us, it's really special to know that we're in Portsmouth and it means a lot to so many people.
"Everybody we speak to has a story, has a connection with D-Day.
"So for us, it's really important to have those conversations with people and it means so much.
"This is what we find with installation, when people come to visit, it means that they can stand with the giants, they can walk among the giants, they can have a bit of private time just thinking.
"It's all about reflection and remembrance.
"So for us to be in Portsmouth, it is really, really special."
The 1,475 servicemen silhouettes are to represent the soldiers who gave their lives under British Command on D-Day, as well as 50 French resistance silhouettes.
Royal Armouries Fort Nelson will host the 'For Your Tomorrow - The People's Tribute' figures for a display that opens to the public on October 22nd, and runs until November 30th.
Husband and wife, Janette and Dan Barton, run the Standing with Giants charity and work on the figures outside of their day-job hours.
The charity say their purpose is to create large-scale remembrance art in order for people to continue to remember and respect the sacrifices for the freedoms we have today.
They create the silhouettes out of recycled building materials where possible.
Volunteers have been attending the site and helping with the assembly from as early as four in the morning.
Dan Barton, Founder and Chairman of Standing with Giants, said: "We're just learning all the time.
"It's an incredible journey and we work with so many volunteers.
"That was the idea of the project was to bring as many people together as possible to make it the people's tribute.
"That's three and a half thousand people that put something together for this installation, which is an incredible achievement when it was just me and my wife working over our kitchen making this happen.
"It's 24/7 and incredibly fulfilling in the sense it means so much to so many people.
"Their kind comments and kind words help us to continue the project, and we'll do this for as long as people want to see the installations."
Mr Barton added that they had around 250,000 people visit the Normandy installation and a further 90,000 when they brought it back to the UK.
He said: "I think it shows you just how many people want to come and pay their respects and honour the fallen.
"We're very keen on younger people getting involved because it's really just to appreciate and be mindful of where their freedom came from.
"It didn't just happen, it was fought for and a heavy price was paid for their freedom.
"That's a really important thing."
They have a team of locals helping to assemble this installation, after hundreds expressed an interest in the project.
Women's Institute also got involved, knitting 37,000 poppies.
As well as this, they also got prisoners involved to paint and assemble figures.
Portsmouth's Fort Nelson say they're honoured to be hosting the installation.
Nigel Hosier, Head of Operations at Fort Nelson, said: "It's very exciting, but obviously we are very honoured to have the privilege to be able to host the silhouettes here.
"I think on a personal and local level, the fact that these 1,475 servicemen left from the South Coast, from the Solent, from Portsmouth, these silhouettes have been on display in Normandy.
"Coming back to Portsmouth and being displayed here, felt really poignant.
"It's a real mixture of feelings, excited but also quite emotional as well."