National commemorations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day this summer will focus on Portsmouth, which is set to be at the heart of the nation’s tribute.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the King, Queen and Prince of Wales will join former armed service members and VIP guests, along with thousands of people, at Southsea Common on 5 June for a major national commemorative event to mark the anniversary.
Broadcast live by the BBC across the UK and the world, D-Day veterans will be at the forefront of the gathering, which will also feature military musicians, a Royal Air Force flypast and moving tributes from special guests.
It will remember all those who died during the Normandy campaign and pay tribute to the surviving service members – in what will probably be the last time veterans will be able to gather in significant numbers.
Hampshire played a pivotal role in the D-Day landings of 6 June 1944, the biggest air, land and sea invasion in history, and 5 June marks the day that many soldiers set off from its coastline to prepare for the Normandy landings.
Along with the national commemoration, special events will be staged across the region to mark the anniversary, while for visitors looking to discover more about the invasion, the county is also home to several attractions that can be visited all year round.
Hampshire has a fascinating wartime story to tell, from the remains of floating Mulberry Harbours to the country house where General Eisenhower gave his famous “We go” order, and still the home of the original ‘D-Day Map’.
The D-Day Story on Southsea seafront is the only museum in the UK dedicated to the Allied invasion in June 1944, containing exhibitions, galleries and interactive displays telling the story of D-Day from a military and civilian viewpoint. This year the museum is also showcasing 80 objects from its own collection and from major national museums in an online exhibition, highlighting a new object on its social media each day up to the June 5 event.
Southwick House, in a picturesque village overlooking the naval base of Portsmouth, became the unlikely hub for Operation Overlord and headquarters of allied commanders, including General Eisenhower and General Montgomery. It was here where the invasion planning took place and the home to the Map Room which, to this day, houses the original ‘D-Day Map’. Tours and visits must be booked in advance through The Royal Military Police Museum, subject to availability (www.rhqrmp.org/rmp_museum.html),
Each year the village hosts the Southwick Revival, a nostalgic event commemorating the D Day Landings. Being staged on the 8 and 9 June 2024, it features a vintage fun fair, motorcade and talks (https://southwickrevival.co.uk).
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard will be marking D-Day 80 by highlighting stories, events and D-Day related parts of the attraction, including the No.6 Cinema showing D-Day films and talks. And at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum throughout June visitors can discover the crucial role the x-class submarines played in the build-up to the invasion.
Further afield, Lepe Country Park was used to launch the famous floating Mulberry Harbours – providing port facilities during the invasion – and visitors can still see the remains in this picturesque country park, which has views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.
A guide to Hampshire’s D-Day events, and attractions, can be found at
For all tourist information, see www.visit-hampshire.co.uk
Photo, above: Southwick House D-Day Map Room – Visit Hampshire
Photo, below: D-Day Museum Portsmouth – Visit Hampshire
