Beacons to be lit and family day planned to mark D-Day anniversary

The commemoration is being organised by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council with the event recently approved by the council’s Community Planning Committee.

D-Day was the largest naval, air and land operation in history and marked thebeginning of the end of the Second World War. ‘Operation Overload’ saw around 4,000 ships and landing craft set down 132,500 troops on beaches in Normandy, France, leading to the liberation of north-west Europe from Nazi occupation.

An exhibition of World War II memorabilia will be on display at Sentry Hill House, in Newtownabbey, from June 5 until 24. In addition, a family day is proposed at Sentry Hill, on Saturday June 8, which will include a military display by 1919 Newtownabbey RAF Air Cadets Squadron, a musical tribute to Dame Vera Lynn, a ‘Living Library’ to be organised by local military veterans and crafts for children.

However, councillors have ruled out a ceremonial beacon being lit in each district electoral area due to cost.

They were advised the cost of hiring five beacons in addition to a pair already owned by the local authority and providing a bugler, piper and staff for all seven events would be approximately £5,850 which was not in the budget for 2024/25.

Meanwhile, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council will be hosting this year’s Armed Forces Day, which will take place at Hazelbank Park and Jordanstown Loughshore Park, on June 22, at a cost of £80,000, after the council’s application to the Reserve Forces and Cadets’ Association for Northern Ireland (RFCA NI) was successful.

This year’s theme will be ‘Veterans and D-Day’. As part of the programme, it is planned to unveil a large perspex representation of the flotilla gathered in Belfast Lough prior to departing for France in June 1944.

​

​