Fakenham Town Council plans events to celebrate 80th D-Day anniversary
Fakenham Town Council has organised a series of events this week to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Residents are invited to a talk in the parish church hosted by Col. Martin Todd on Thursday evening at 6.30pm.
The talk will focus on the enormous impact that D-Day had on the course of World War II, which was then into its fifth year.
The town council has secured support for the events of the day and evening from the Queen's Dragoon Guards, who are stationed at Robertson Barracks, Swanton Morley, as well as Col. Todd's regiment The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own) - who are travelling down from their barracks in Catterick to support the town.
Col. Todd will speak for around 25minutes and will be happy to take questions.
After this presentation, an evening of entertainment will kick off in the marketplace.
There will be live music from the Salvation Army Fellowship Band and songs from members of FADLOS, while 1940s music will be played over loudspeakers in between performances.
Recommendations for the day's events were issued by the Pageant Masters office in London, including a fish and chip supper, a wartime favourite and still popular.
At 9pm, an air-raid siren will be sounded and the sky will be lit up with a Second World War spotlight, loaned from the Thursford Collection. The 'All Clear' will then be issued.
Other events during the day include a Proclamation being read at 8am, school children reading specially commissioned poems at 11am, and the laying of commemorative wreaths at the war memorial.
The Charter Market will be in full swing and former servicemen and women from Veteran's Central will be present, along with a Jeep that took part in the D-Day landings and has survived for the last 80 years.
Cllr Angela Glynn, the Fakenham mayor, said: “Do please come and join us for all or part of the day. The evening events beginning at 6.30pm with a quarter peel of bells.
“We look forward to seeing you next week to mark the anniversary of D-Day.”
