Salcombe Devon June 6th 2024
SALCOMBE COMMEMORATES THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY
By 1944 about 2,000 U.S. servicemen were based in the town. Between 3rd and 5th June 1944, a U.S. Navy Amphibious Force of 66 ships and six Royal Navy escorts sailed from Salcombe to join Force U of the Western Task Force.
The objective of the Amphibious Force was to support the landing of the 4th Division, VII Corps U.S. Army on Utah beach, and subsequent operations.
3rd TO THE 5th JUNE 1944
Between 3rd and 5th June 1944, a U.S. Navy Amphibious Force of 66 ships and six Royal Navy escorts sailed from Salcombe tasked with landing soldiers from the U.S. Army on Utah beach, Normandy, part of the largest naval, air and land operation in history.
Holy Trinity Church Salcombe
There will be a service for children from Salcombe, Malborough and West Alvington schools, from 2 till 3pm on the 6th of June. This will include the Poem for Schools “D-Day Heroes”
Displays from the Era
There will be displays in Cliff House all afternoon of uniforms and memorabilia from the era
Illustrated talk 4 – 5.30pm
WW2 displays at Cliff House, from 4-5.30pm an illustrated talk at Cliff House by Roger Barrett, Chair of Salcombe Maritime Museum, “Salcombe and D-Day”. There will also be Children’s day Activities supervised by Caroline Flage and Abigail Gray of the Maritime Museum.
Flotilla and Commemoration Parade
From 7-8pm a Flotilla will commemorate the U.S. Navy Amphibious Force of 66 ships and six Royal Navy escorts which sailed from Salcombe to Utah beach, if you would like to take part in this memorable occasion please sign up with the Salcombe Yacht Club here.
After the Flotilla will be a Commemoration Parade from 8.30-9pm from the War Memorial to Whitestrand, comprising the RNLI, Police and other emergency services, Salcombe Harbour, Salcombe community and volunteer groups, our MP and the civic authorities. The day will culminate with lighting a beacon at 9.15pm.
At 8.30pm there will be the Commemoration Parade from the War Memorial to Whitestrand, comprising, we hope, Fr Daniel, our MP, the civic authorities, representatives of the RNLI and emergency services, and of Salcombe’s community and voluntary groups.
Many of the food outlets will be serving “Fish and Chips” on the 6th. When the Allied forces landed in Europe if someone wanted to check if someone else was friend or foe the shout was Fish! If the response back was Chips! it was safe to proceed, otherwise ……
A donation from each sale will be going to the selected charities.
