This poignant D-Day statue will tour the UK and France before settling in Portsmouth ahead of 75th anniversary of Normandy invasion

The sculpture, named D-Day: Soldiers of Sacrifice, will embark on a tour of the UK and across the channel to France before finally settling in Portsmouth next week. 

It will be displayed at the D-Day Story, the UK’s only museum dedicated to the Normandy invasion, in Southsea from March 11. 

Created by Welsh artist Alfie Bradley, who made the Knife Angel, the sculpture is made from replica bullets. 

The statue features Den Brotheridge, widely believed to be the first Allied serviceman to be killed on D-Day, surrounded by 4,413 bullets, representing his comrades in arms who fell in battle later that day.

In the sculpture he is crouched down as if to throw a grenade, but instead he is releasing a dove; symbolising peace and acknowledging that these soldiers' deaths were not in vain. 

Speaking about his creation, Mr Bradley said: ‘This has been such a meaningful project, and I’ve loved working with The D-Day Story to create this lasting tribute to the heroes that gave their lives for us in World War II.

‘Den Brotheridge was 28, the same age I am now, when he died.

‘I can’t even begin to imagine how terrifying it would have been to land on the beach in Normandy that day, and the more I’ve read up on D-Day over the last few months, the more I realise how grateful we all should be for their heroic sacrifice.' 

The statues begins its tour in Salford today at the The Piazza, it will then head to Liverpool Parish Church tomorrow. 

After that the sculpture will visit will visit Villa Park on Wednesday, which holds a key meaning to Den as a former player at the Aston Villa Colts. 

On day four of the tour D-Day: Soldier of Sacrifice will be situated at London’s Waterloo Station between platform’s 11 and 12, the current route from London to Portsmouth.

This is the same journey our heroic serviceman would have taken almost 75 years ago ahead of the D-Day Allied invasion of Normandy.

Joining the soldier on the Aston Villa and Waterloo legs of the tour, Margaret Brotheridge, daughter of Den Brotheridge, will be on hand to recount stories of her father’s life and celebrate the unveiling of the sculpture.

It will then head to Bletchley Park on Friday before spending the two hours at South Parade Pier between 1pm and 3pm on Saturday. 

The sculpture will then travel to Pegasus Beach Bridge in Normandy, France, on Sunday before arriving at its future home at the D-Day Story in Southsea next Monday. 

Jane Barnard from the museum said: ‘We’re thrilled to be commemorating the 75th year since the D-Day landings with such a poignant and meaningful sculpture.

‘We have chosen locations close to the heart of Den and World War II and it’s fantastic his daughter has been able to join us for the tour - her stories of her father are truly captivating and emotive.

‘We hope everyone finds solace in the story of Den and the unbelievable amount of bravery all the servicemen showed during D-Day.’