Cumberland Council is supporting the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings this Thursday (6 June).
The council, which has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, will be flying the Union Flag from outside Cumbria House, the Civic Centre and the Old Town Hall in Carlisle, the Copeland Centre in Whitehaven and Allerdale House in Workington.
In Carlisle, an evensong will be held at Carlisle Cathedral on Thursday 6 June at 5.45pm.
At 9.15pm on Thursday 6 June, English Heritage’s Carlisle Castle will light up a beacon to commemorate 80 years since the D-Day landings. Rocket Theatre will be present singing World War Two songs and cadets will also be in attendance.
Many town councils and parish councils are also commemorating the anniversary.
Check local parish council listings for updates on all events planned. Here are a few:
- Aspatria: Aspatria Town Council website and Aspatria Town Council Facebook
- Brampton: Brampton Parish Council website and Brampton Parish Council Facebook
- Cleator Moor: Cleator Moor Town Council events and Cleator Moor Town Council Facebook
- Cockermouth: Cockermouth Town website and Cockermouth Town Council Facebook
- Egremont: Egremont Town Council website and Egremont Town Council Facebook
- Keswick: Keswick Town Council website and Keswick Town Council Facebook
- Maryport: Maryport Town Council and Maryport Town Council Facebook
- Millom: Millom Town Council and Millom Town Council Facebook
- Whitehaven: Whitehaven Town Council and Whitehaven Town Council Facebook
- Wigton: Wigton Town Council website and Wigton Town Council Facebook
- Workington: Workington Town Council website and Workington Town Council Facebook
Cumberland Council has demonstrated its continuing commitment to the Armed Forces Community by signing the National Armed Forces Covenant.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation. It ensures that those who serve or who have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly and will not be disadvantaged in accessing public services by their military service.
The signing of the Covenant took place on Tuesday 26 September 2023 at Carlisle’s Civic Centre
Remembering D-Day and the Battle of Normandy
The D-Day landings of 6 June 1944 was the largest seaborne invasion in history. Along with the associated airborne operations, it marked the beginning of the liberation of France and western Europe.
Unprecedented coordination between Allied nations, and the intensive planning of engineers, meteorologists, logisticians and countless more, led to a force from 13 countries approaching Normandy in a 5000-vessel armada.
In the early hours of D-Day, 24,000 paratroopers and glider-borne troops landed behind German lines to provide tactical support. Massive naval and aerial bombardments attempted to supress the German defences and weaponry. Then a ground force of more than 130,000 troops came ashore on five beaches across a 50-mile stretch of Normandy coast, with the first waves often facing intact defences.
By the end of D-Day there had been 10,000 allied casualties. Yet this was only the beginning. The ensuing Battle of Normandy was to last into August and cost tens of thousands of lives as it defeated and repulsed the occupying German forces eastwards. It was a decisive success for the Allies and paved the way for the liberation of much of north west Europe.