West Wiltshire commemorates D-Day 80th anniversary by laying wreaths

They laid wreaths, attended civic services and organised military displays to commemorate the anniversary of Operation Overlord on Thursday, June 6, 1944.

The landings marked the largest naval, air, and land military operation in history as the Allied Forces prepared to retake large swathes of occupied Europe from the German forces that had invaded many countries during the war.

READ MORE: Aircraft display at Wiltshire airfield marks 80th D-Day anniversary

Civic dignitaries prepare to lay wreaths at Trowbridge War Memorial. Image: Trevor Porter 77107-5 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Captain Roy Zaman, chair of Trowbridge Branch of the Royal British Legion, said: “It went very well and was fitting tribute to the 150,000 men who took part in the D-Day landings.

“We timed the events in the evening to enable people to turn out after work and were very pleased with the attendance.”

Trowbridge Mayor Cllr Stephen Cooper with Wiltshire’s Deputy Lord Lieutenant Judge Simon Cooper lay wreaths. Image: Trevor Porter 77107-6a (Image: Trevor Porter)

Civic dignitaries and members of Trowbridge RBL laid a wreath at the war memorial in Trowbridge Town Park and afterwards took part in a procession to Trowbridge Civic Centre.

Trowbridge Town Crier Trevor Heeks read out the D-Day proclamation and Winston Churchill’s ‘we will fight them on the beaches’ speech was replayed.

Trowbridge Town Crier Trevor Heeks delivers the Proclamation from The Civic Balcony. Image: Trevor Porter 77107-14 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Trowbridge Mayor, Cllr Stephen Cooper read a poem that he wrote himself and at 9.15pm Trowbridge lit a hurricane lamp which will hang in the town clerk's office window until Friday, November 8.

The move was part of the international lighting of beacons and lamp lights of peace across the South West, including at Roundway Hill, Devizes.

The Trowbridge hurricane lamp was lit at 9.15pm to coincide with beacons lit throughout the Westcountry. Image: Trevor Porter 77107-19 (Image: Trevor Porter)

The bells of James’ Church in Trowbridge were also rung as part of the 80th anniversary commemorations.

Trowbridge mayor, Cllr Stephen Cooper, said: “It was the perfect atmosphere. We must have had between 150 and 200 people attending.”

SEE ALSO: D-Day era planes spotted flying over Wiltshire

Armed forces veterans laid a wreath at the Bradford on Avon war memorial in Westbury Gardens. Image: Christine Giles (Image: Christine Giles)

In Bradford on Avon, armed forces veterans laid a wreath at the town’s war memorial in Westbury Gardens.

In Broughton Gifford, The Fox pub hosted a military vehicle display as a tribute to six men who took part in the Normandy invasion and never returned.

Regulars in period military attire commemorated six men who never returned home for the D -Day display at The Fox at Broughton Gifford. Image: Trevor Porter 77106-4 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Keevil Airfield played an important role in the D-Day landings, with Horsa gliders towed into the air by 196 Squadron Short Stirling aircraft ferrying Allied troops and vital equipment to the continent.

Villagers organised four days of events and activities to commemorate the 80th anniversary, including a display of military aircraft on Keevil Airfield and a village art and war memorabilia exhibition at St Leonard's Church.