D-Day 80: 24 glorious pictures of Standing With Giants silhouettes on display at British Normandy Museum

The giant silhouettes of 1,475 servicemen and two women who died on D-Day have been installed at the British Normandy Museum ahead of the 80th anniversary commemorations.

By Freddie Webb

Published 19th Apr 2024, 11:33 BST

The figures, designed by Dan Barton of the Standing with Giants charity, were transported earlier this month to France from Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. A convoy of bikers brought the display to Fort Nelson in Portsdown Hill Road for a ceremony before their trip across the English Channel.

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A team of 30 volunteers have spent two weeks installing the silhouettes at the memorial overlooking Gold Beach which was one of the key landing points and where they will be open to the public throughout the summer.

As well as the silhouettes representing the personnel from all three services, two bespoke figures have been created to represent nurses Sisters Evershed and Field, who died while saving 75 men from a sinking hospital ship.

Also, figures representing 50 French resistance fighters are being placed around the French Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer. Here are 24 pictures of them on display.

A view of the Standing with Giants silhouettes which create the For Your Tomorrow installation at the British Normandy Memorial, in Ver-Sur-Mer, France, as part of the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

1. Standing With Giants - D-Day 80

A view of the Standing with Giants silhouettes which create the For Your Tomorrow installation at the British Normandy Memorial, in Ver-Sur-Mer, France, as part of the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Photo: Gareth Fuller

The 1,475 statues honour each of the servicemen who fell on D-Day itself and stand in the shadows of the memorial overlooking Gold Beach, where many of them landed almost 80 years ago.

2. Standing With Giants - D-Day 80

The 1,475 statues honour each of the servicemen who fell on D-Day itself and stand in the shadows of the memorial overlooking Gold Beach, where many of them landed almost 80 years ago. Photo: Gareth Fuller

The fields within the British Normandy Memorial campus have been filled with silhouettes of servicemen representing the three military services, each standing just under two metres tall. Alongside these, the project will also install bespoke 'giants' to represent the only two women on the Memorial, nurses Sisters Evershed and Field, who died while saving 75 men from a sinking hospital ship; and 50 French resistance fighters, to be placed around the French Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer.

3. Standing With Giants - D-Day 80

The fields within the British Normandy Memorial campus have been filled with silhouettes of servicemen representing the three military services, each standing just under two metres tall. Alongside these, the project will also install bespoke 'giants' to represent the only two women on the Memorial, nurses Sisters Evershed and Field, who died while saving 75 men from a sinking hospital ship; and 50 French resistance fighters, to be placed around the French Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer. Photo: Gareth Fuller

The last of the Standing with Giants silhouettes are put in place at the For Your Tomorrow installation at the British Normandy Memorial, in Ver-Sur-Mer, France, as part of the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

4. Standing With Giants - D-Day 80

The last of the Standing with Giants silhouettes are put in place at the For Your Tomorrow installation at the British Normandy Memorial, in Ver-Sur-Mer, France, as part of the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Photo: Gareth Fuller