Great Yarmouth Borough Council recognises anniversary of D-Day with public service

On that date in 1944, thousands of Allied troops began landing on the beaches of Normandy, in northern France, at the start of a major offensive against the Germans, during the Second World War.

Rev Canon Simon Ward will lead the service which will include readings, prayers and hymns. The Mayor of Great Yarmouth, Cllr Sue Hacon, and the High Steward will both attend and lay wreaths during the service.

Her Worship the Mayor will also plant a tree in St Georges Park and unveil a plaque for the people from the Borough of Great Yarmouth who served in the War and were part of the Suffolk Regiment.

The service will include a performance from a trumpet player and will end with the singing of the National Anthem, an Act of Remembrance for those who died in the war and a two-minute silence.

To ensure maximum public safety, social distancing guidelines must be followed and the use of hand sanitiser and masks are encouraged.

Cllr Sue Hacon, the Mayor of Great Yarmouth, said: The D-Day service always attracts a respectable turnout, and though the service will be on a much smaller scale this year, we are happy to be able to commemorate this day after not being able to hold a public service last year, due to lockdown restrictions.

"The service is an opportunity for the whole community to honour and remember those who sacrificed so much during the Second World War, both at home and abroad."