D-Day events planned in Windsor and Maidenhead

Next Thursday, June 6, will mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy in 1944 – more commonly known as D-Day.

Church bells will be rung throughout the country at 6pm, recreating the sounds of that day.

There are several services and events of remembrance in RBWM, both on the day itself and either side. Here is a round-up of the ones the Advertiser has found.

Maidenhead

A service is planned at All Saints Church in Church Close (Boyne Hill) on Sunday, June 9 at 10am.

The Maidenhead Branch of the Royal British Legion and the clergy and parishioners of All Saints will pay tribute to the 18 Maidenhead servicemen who lost their lives in conflict at that time.

The RBL aims to identify every one of these men, their age, service and their final resting place.

Residents who had family members who fought in the conflict are ‘assured of a warm welcome,’ should they wish to attend.

There will also be a short raising of a D-Day80 flag ceremony at Maidenhead Town Hall on June 6 at 9am.

Windsor

Windsor Spiritualist Church will be dedicating its Tuesday service on June 4 to D-Day, from 7.45pm to 9pm.

Families of the veterans and the fallen are welcome to attend the service, which will include readings, and a demonstration of mediumship by its guest medium, Gillian Blaise.

The church will also have a table for loved ones to place photos of the fallen to be remembered during the service.

Entrance is a £3 donation towards the church, which is found in Adelaide Square.

For more information, email windsor.s.church@gmail.com 

In Sunninghill, a D-Day Party in the Park featuring family entertainment and live music from 4-10pm on June 6.

There will be children’s fairground rides besides food and drink, including some British traditional fare.

The event, put together by Sunninghill and Ascot Parish Council, will be at Victory Field Recreation Ground.

An open-air stage will see performances from Groove Republic and Groove Company for a 1940s sing-along and party music.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own picnics, chairs and rugs.

The free-entry event will include lighting a ‘Light of Peace’ beacon at 9.15pm – a large beacon, built by local Scouts.

It will shine at the same time as numerous others across the country to mark the 80th Anniversary of D-Day in celebration of the ‘light of peace that emerged from the darkness of war’.

Cookham

A commemorative art installation by the charity Standing with Giants will be adorned with poppies crocheted by the Cookham Women’s Institute.

There are 1,475 of these ‘Giants’ of Normandy – representing each of those who lost their lives on June 6, 1944, including two nurses.

Called ‘For You Tomorrow’, the display will be at the British Normandy Memorial at Ville-sur-Mer, France, until August 31.

The WI Hall is adjacent to the Cookham Dean War Memorial, so it ‘seemed appropriate’ to help the installation, the group said.

Nationally, Women's Institutes contributed more than 220,000 poppies to decorate the installation’s plinths.

Cookham Dean WI spent hours crocheting the flowers, known as ‘Poppies of Hope’.

Do you know of a D-Day event that is running in the area, not listed here? Email adrianw@baylismedia.co.uk