Lee Victory Festival will mark allies' wartime victory

Event organisers have been granted permission to hold the Lee Victory Festival at Solent Airport at Daedalus which is owned by Fareham Borough Council.

The event will celebrate Victory in Europe day as well as Victory over Japan day with a 1.1-mile parade featuring bands, marching veterans and a static display of military vehicles at the airfield.

NOW READ: Lee-on-the-Solent sees 5.000-strong crowd for jubilee celebrations

In addition, a planned air display featuring three Second World War aircraft will be performed over the Solent, weather permitting.

Organiser Jonathan Moore said: ‘I am privileged to be able to bring the event to a historic location such as the old Second World War airfield, HMS Daedalus.

‘What is significant for this location is that the former HMS Daedalus airfield during Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944 saw 435 sorties flown from here making it the busiest single airfield on D-Day. In all, over 2,000 sorties were flown from this airfield, the majority in the first 10 days of operation.

‘Now as Solent Airport @ Daedalus, owned and operated by Fareham Borough Council, it provides an amazing space for the event to be located and really does lend itself to the name of the event as the efforts from this airfield ultimately led to the allied forces WWII Victory.’

‘With the support from the council leader Councillor Seán Woodward, we now have the necessary permissions to make this announcement.’

Councillor Sean Woodward, leader of the council, said: ‘Fareham Borough Council is proud to be supporting Lee Victory Festival by hosting a major part of the event at Solent Airport @ Daedalus.

‘The iconic airfield, its aircraft and its crews played such a decisive role in D- Day that it is natural to include it in the festival.

‘The armed forces are a huge part of our communities and it is right that we celebrate their contribution in this way. It is also good to share an event between Fareham and Gosport, both proud towns steeped in military history.’

The event will be held between September 22 and 24, more information can be found here.