D-Day 80: Standing with Giants silhouettes of Second World War soldiers who died installed in Normandy

The figures, designed by Dan Barton of the Standing with Giants charity, were transported earlier this month to France from Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, via Fort Nelson in Portsdown Hill Road – where the silhouettes have previously been displayed. Crowds of bikers and charity workers who put the designs together gathered for the ceremony.

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.

Project co-ordinator in France: “It’s so emotional”

Also, figures representing 50 French resistance fighters are being placed around the French Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer. Project co-ordinator Janette Barton said: “It’s so emotional, we came over to the memorial last night as the sun was setting and sat and watched the sun go down and our volunteers felt it was like a meadow of souls.

“It’s incredible, I’m lost for words because it’s been such an emotional journey. Visitors, both French and English, have been saying how incredible it is and that we must never forget and the younger generation, the children are asking questions of their parents. We have still quite a lot of work to do as we have to put the guy lines in because they are quite exposed up here.

“Our volunteers have been incredible, working long hours in tough conditions but no-one has complained, we feel honoured and privileged to be here and hope the veterans can see them when they come over.” To support the project, the public can sponsor a plaque in honour of a loved one for £150 which will be placed in front of a giant and remain at the memorial site for at least five years. More information can be found on the Standing With Giants website.