Residents across Suffolk will come together to remember those that fought on D-Day on its 80th anniversary.
Thursday, June 6, will mark 80 years since the Allied invasion of Normandy during the Second World War and there are several events commemorating the local heroes involved.
St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds will host The Suffolk Service of Commemoration, a special Evensong service, at 5.30 pm on Thursday.
Organised in partnership with the Royal British Legion, the event will be attended by veterans and current military personnel, with The Lord Lieutenant, Lady Clare Euston, and three military representatives set to lay wreaths.
Readings will be given including a poem, 'Normandy', read by Veteran Tony Hensby who has a clear memory, as a 14-year-old boy, of seeing the sky full of airplanes, later learning they were headed to France for D-Day.
Rt Rev Dr Mike Harrison, Bishop of Dunwich, who is speaking at the event, said: "D-Day marks a globally-significant turning point in world history with the Normandy landings triggering the beginning of the end of the Nazi terror and all its horrors.
"In Western Europe we continue to benefit from the peace dividend through the courage, fortitude and sacrifice of many on that day in June 1944 and we rightly commemorate it with praise and thanksgiving."
The Very Rev’d Joe Hawes, Dean of St Edmundsbury, said: “The Cathedral is honoured to host the D-Day 80 County Commemoration Service.
"An entire generation gave everything for us to live in freedom and it’s imperative we never forget their sacrifice; those who never came home, those who did, and those who remained to keep us going through conflict."
In Haverhill at 11am on Thursday the mayor, cllr David Smith, will host a short Service of Commemoration on the Market Square.
It will be followed by a flag raising and The Lamp Light of Peace will be lit and taken into St Mary’s Church where a service will be led by the Revd. Max Drinkwater of St Mary’s Church.
This will include a proclamation, which has been written by Pageant Master of D-Day 80, Bruno Peek CVO OBE OPR, and will be followed by an act of remembrance including a performance of the Last Post by Archie Pannell, 11.
At 6:30pm, the six bells of St Mary’s Church will be rung.
Public beacons will be lit in the following parishes:
- Framsden Parish Council
- Mendlesham Parish Council
- Lowestoft Town Council
- St Joseph's College Benhall and Sternfield Parish Council
- Shottisham Parish Council
- Rendlesham Parish Council
- Great Waldingfield Parish Council
- Charity Farm, Thorndon
- Combs Parish Council Ringshall Village Playing Field
- Earl Stonham Parish Council & Earl Stonham Village Hall
- Brandon Town Council
- Bacton Parish Council
- Melton Parish Council
- Capel St Mary Parish Council
- Leiston-cum-Sizewell Town Council
- Ixworth & District Royal British Legion & RBL Standards undertaking a Sunset Ceremony with Standards
- Snape Parish Council
- Blundeston and Flixton Levington and Stratton Hall Parish Council
- Kedington & District Branch of The Royal Britiish Legion
- Kessingland Parish Council
Town criers will give the proclamation in the following towns:
- David Burrows in Southwold
- Andrew Parkhurst in Clare
- Martin Payne in Bungay
- Brenda Willison in Newmarket
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