Tavistock Lighting a Beacon of Peace - Thursday 6th June at 9:15pm

 

6th June 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day and will see several events hosted throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories, including the lighting of the international 80th Anniversary Beacon which will be lit at 9.15pm on His Majesty’s Naval Base, Portsmouth. It is a significant occasion to commemorate the sacrifices made and celebrate the years of peace resulting from those tremendous efforts.

 

Tavistock has a special connection with the D-Day landings as American soldiers of the 29th Infantry Division of the US Army were based at Abbotsfield Hall and they used their base here to prepare for the military manoeuvre. Locals recall tents and military vehicles on Whitchurch Down, even a field hospital and landing strip. During their stay, many of the soldiers became part of life in Tavistock.

 

The 29th Infantry Division left Tavistock for Europe in late May 1944, landing on Omaha Beach in Normandy as part of the operation to re-capture mainland Europe from German Occupation on the 6th June.

 

Tavistock Town Council will light the Town’s Beacon of Peace on Whitchurch Down (by the Pimple) at 9:15pm on Thursday 6th June. Members of the public are invited to join us as we pay tribute to all those who took part in D-Day, the largest naval, air and land operation in history.