D DAY 80 – Events Guide and Stories from a Forest at War
36-page document: D-Day 80th Anniversary Events in the New Forest. This document details a series of commemorative events and activities taking place across the New Forest from May 9th to June 22nd, 2024, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The New Forest, significant in WWII for its military preparations and troop gatherings, will host exhibitions, memorial services, interactive displays, and historical tours. Highlights include a “Discovery Bus” with wartime displays, beacon lighting ceremonies, and family-friendly events. The guide emphasises the forest’s historical role and the enduring legacy of the Allied forces’ bravery and sacrifice.
Welcome to the D-Day Lepe Heritage Group.
This group seeks to record, preserve and present the role played by the small settlement of Lepe in the New Forest, in the momentous undertaking that was Operation Neptune – the invasion of Normandy.
This website details operations and events, associated with D-Day, that occurred at Lepe and Stanswood Bay and within the immediately surrounding locale of the New Forest and Solent.
It is a constantly growing resource and we hope to add more information as it becomes available.
There are of course, many superbly researched and written books, volumes of historical documentation and many excellent websites and museums dealing both generally with D-Day and with particular topics on and around D-Day in great detail.
Within this website, the D-Day Lepe Heritage Group does not try to emulate them, but hopes to add greater detail to the role played by Lepe, except where inclusion of other locations is pertinent to the subject.
We hope that you find the site educational, memorable and interesting.
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Latest information:
Gold Beach
Cecil survived the war after the initial loss of “Cooks Tours” and being badly wounded in later fighting in Germany during Operation Clipper in November ’44 after Overlord.
Steamship Shieldhall stages two D-Day 80 themed cruises this weekend
Southampton’s heritage steamship, SS Shieldhall, stages two D-Day related cruises this coming weekend, Sat 8 and Sun 9 June.
