Residents urged to attend Daedalus D-Day spectacle

By Connor Steel

LOCAL RESIDENTS have all been invited to attend a large scale community event to celebrate the upcoming eightieth anniversary of D-Day later this summer; the organisers releasing early details of this planned “two day spectacle” to be held across the weekend of June 8-9 as the area pays tribute to the crucial operation that changed the course of WW2.

The event will be held at the former HMS Daedalus airfield in Lee-on-the-Solent; a site specifically chosen as it was the single busiest airfield with 435 ‘sorties’ on D-Day. It is being delivered on behalf of Fareham Borough Council with large support from Montserrat Events and airport operators RCA; the former helping to host last year’s “Lee Victory Festival”.

Each of the two days are to be ‘slightly different’ with its planned attractions and a timetable is set to be released in due course, but organisers have promised a variety of family friendly activities. This is set to include static aircraft, marching bands, field gun runs, themes period vehicles, motorcycle stunts, parachute drops, music, funfair rides and much more.

Organisers are hoping to replicate the success of previous community events since the Covid-19 pandemic which does include those held to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘Platinum Jubilee’ and Coronation of King Charles III. A total of four thousand residents have registered an interest in attending and ticket information is set to be released when “finalised”.

In the meantime organisers have released a set of ‘standing orders’ for history re-enactors to follow and have said that provisions are in place for showers / toilets. They have further invited businesses, and vendors to get involved by filling out their online form if they want to sell products at this event, where a limited number of “stalls” will be made available.

Readers can explore the historic events of D-Day by clicking this link, whilst further information / future updates can be seen on the event’s designated website or via the Facebook page. An official event logo can also be downloaded here.

PICTURED BY ALAMY (R2BRF3): Events from ‘D-Day’ will be marked by local residents in community event this year.