Spotlight Saturday: D-Day

Join us for this day of talks, tours and family activities as we mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Thursday 6 June 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day. This month's Spotlight Saturday will look at the Army's role in the greatest amphibious operation in the history of warfare. 

Join us for talks and tours, as well as an opportunity to look at items from our collection.

Programme

11am - 1pm, 2pm - 4pm

Performances

Follow the story of Operation Overlord, the codename for the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Normandy, from its planning and preparation to the D-Day landings and their aftermath.

6 April 1944 - Driver
Listen to a driver in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) explain how her duties increased in the weeks leading up to D-Day.

6 May 1944 - Agent
Meet a newly-trained agent of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and learn about the training for her first parachute jump into occupied France.

1 June 1944 - Sergeant
Listen to a sergeant of the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) explain his task of introducing new equipment to D-Day assault troops.

6 June 1944 - Private
Hear an account from one of the first soldiers to go ashore on D-Day.

7 June 1944 - Signalman
Meet a soldier of the Royal Corps of Signals and find out how he kept in contact with his HQ in challenging circumstances.

8 June 1944 - Tradesman
Hear from a tradesman of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). Discover how he kept vehicles and weapons ready for action after the landings.

1pm - 2pm

D-Day talk

Chris McNab, author of The D-Day Training Pocket Manual 1944, gives an insight into the preparation for Operation Overlord.

11.30am - 12.15pm, 2.30pm - 3.15pm

Guided tours

Discover the story of D-Day with a guided tour of our galleries.

10am - 4pm

Handling collection

Get hands on with our collection and quiz our staff and volunteers about items relating to the invasion of Normandy.

10.45am - 12.45pm, 2pm - 4pm

Children's activities

Practise your deception skills and help trick the enemy. Make your own dummy parachutist, then take part in our D-Day test drop!