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 peace after the second world war. Across the United Kingdom, Europe and the world, commemorations will be taking place to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings and Sidmouth, like many towns will be holding a number of events during the day to mark this commemoration culminating in the lighting of a Beacon that evening. All residents and visitors are invited to attend to help remember those that served and continue to serve for a more peaceful world.
Events in the town begin at 10.45am with a short procession of veterans and standards from the market place to the War Memorial where a brief Act of Remembrance and Dedication of Standards will take place.
At 6.30pm the bells will ring out from Sidmouth Parish Church together with church bells across the country, to signify the 80 years since the momentous events of D-Day itself.
Then taking place at York Steps on the Esplanade over our own beach, the main Sidmouth commemoration will take place. This will begin with music provided by Sidmouth Town Band from 8pm.
At 8.40pm the Town’s Royal Standard together with other Standards and Veterans groups will process from the Market Place to York Steps ahead of the commemoration service around the York Steps Beacon. During this short act of commemoration, ‘Poppy Petals’ will be collected representing those that served and scattered at sea by Sidmouth Lifeboat.
As the sun sets and the evening commemorations draws to a close, the national D-Day 80th Anniversary Tribute will be read followed by the lighting of the ‘Lamp for Peace’ undertaken by the Chair of Sidmouth Town Council at 9.15pm. Such beacons will be lit across the country to signify the light that emerged from the dreadful darkness of war.
