Two consecutive events are being held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Ross-on-Wye.

Ross Town Council and St Mary’s Church are working together to deliver to commemorate the momentous events of 6th June 1944 is when 156,000 Allied soldiers landed across five beaches on the Normandy Coast.

The meticulous planning and courage of those involved shaped history and paved the way for the liberation of Europe in 1945.

Codenamed Operation Neptune, D-Day, was the largest seaborne invasion in history which began with the liberation of France, and the rest of Western Europe, and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front.

The commemorative events will be held on the evening of Thursday, June 6, and will commence at St Mary’s Church in Ross at 8.15pm with a short multimedia presentation, ‘The D Day Story’ told in video, pictures, music and poetry. 

The event will be attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, Edward Harley CBE and at least two D-Day Veterans, Stanley Wilson and Peter Harkness. The event is free and open to the public, who are asked to be seated by 8.05pm.

The event is scheduled to last for 35 Minutes and will be followed shortly afterwards by the lighting of the Town Beacon on ‘The Prospect’ by the Lord Lieutenant at 9.15pm. 

Everyone is invited to this very special occasion.