Plans under way for new D-Day memorial to be built in Gosport

On June 6, 1944, thousands of Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy in a massive operation to turn the tide of the Second World War.

Many of those troops departed from Stokes Bay in Gosport, making it one of the key historical locations for the D-Day invasion.

While a memorial is there for the Canadian forces that used the beach, there currently isn’t anything to commemorate the British troops – many of whom lived in Gosport.

Now, the town’s D-Day Fellowship is hoping to rectify that with a new memorial on the seafront.

The group has been fundraising for the scheme by selling DVDs of the memoirs of Ron Cross, a D-Day veteran who lives in the town.

Ron turned 100 earlier this year, and the fellowship filmed him telling his story of the Normandy assault and his subsequent role in the rest of the war.

Chairman Malcolm Chapman said: ‘It’s great to have the Canadian memorial here but it would be really nice to have something in Stokes Bay for the British men who set sail from Gosport too.

‘When we had the D-Day 75 commemorations last year it became abundantly clear that we needed to make this happen sooner rather than later.

‘We have been out in the town centre selling the DVDs and so far that has raised around £500 for us, which is great.’

The Gosport D-Day Fellowship has been around for 10 years, and has campaigned to get a memorial in the past, albeit unsuccessfully.

According to Mr Chapman, the council has agreed in principle to install a memorial in Stokes Bay.

Now designs must be drawn up and receive final approval before any work can take place.

‘The designs are still in the melting pot for now,' Mr Chapman said.

‘We want to do everything we can to get this project off the ground – it’s been a long time coming.

‘Gosport desperately needs something like this to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.'

DVDs of Ron Cross’ memoirs can be purchased from the Tourist Information Office in Gosport, by the bus station.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news online - as well as fewer adverts, access to our digital edition and mobile app.

Our trial offer starts at just £2 a month for the first two months.