This morning (31 May) a bench has been unveiled which tells the stories of D-Day veterans. The event comes six days before the 75-year anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Unheard stories
As commemorations begin to mark the 75-year anniversary of the D-Day landings a bench has been unveiled at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial and Bayeux War Cemetery.
The bench is a sound installation which will bridge the gap between D-Day veterans and the public. Titled the ‘Voices of Liberation’ the sound installation will be triggered when visitors sit on the bench.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is responsible for the new installation which will give an insight into the events of June 6, 1994 from veterans who were on the battlefield.
Through the memorial bench these veterans will tell their unheard stories of D-Day and the Second World War.
Commemoration
The new installation is the beginning of D-Day events in Portsmouth. The city will be the focal point for the world’s commemorations for D-Day 75.
Around 500 Normandy veterans will attend a special event on 5 June alongside 14 heads of state from around the world and the Royal Family. The group will board a specially-chartered ship and sail across the channel to Normandy before sunset. Serving personnel will assist veterans both in the UK and on arrival in France.
During planning for D-Day, the Allies appealed on BBC radio for photos and postcards of Northern Europe from family holidays. Knowing what the beaches looked like helped in planning the invasion. The public eventually sent in over 10 million postcards! #dday75 #dday pic.twitter.com/NfL0s0Q4VR
— The D-Day Story (@TheDDayStory) May 20, 2019
A new exhibition, The D-Day Story, is now open in Portsmouth telling the story of D-Day and the veterans who were there. The story is brought to life by audio-visual presentations, personal accounts from veterans, and objects.
A collection of 10,000 items including vehicles, uniforms, medals, documents, maps and recordings assist in the story-telling experience.
The D-Day Story will remain open after commemoration events have concluded.
For a full schedule of events in Portsmouth click here.
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