D-Day 80th anniversary marked in Woodville and around the world

With a red lantern to represent the light of peace RSA President Dale Stokes led local Woodville residents in a short service at Fountaine Square’s Cenotaph on Thursday evening, June 6, to commemorate the D-Day landings of troops on the beaches of Normandy 80 years ago.

“You are about to embark upon a great crusade towards which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on all fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe and security for ourselves in a free world.”

So said the supreme commander of the Allied expeditionary forces, General Dwight Eisenhower, upon giving the command to his troops to launch the armada of Allied forces sailing for Normandy in 1944.

On the anniversary of D-Day, a group of 24 locals at the Woodville Cenotaph joined millions in Europe, the USA and the rest of the world to commemorate this incredible event Operation Overlord leading to the end of World War II in Europe.

Woodville RSA President Dale Stokes spoke about D-Day, saying it marked the beginning of the Battle of Normandy – which would result in the loss of more than 50,000 lives in a little over a month of fighting, but which would ultimately lead to the liberation of Paris in August 1944.

Tararua District councillor Scott Gilmore described the immediate events, the weather delays, a rough crossing and young men never having faced the enemy before, wading through rough surf and running up on exposed, mined beaches under German fire from fortifications, who eventually established a foothold in what came to be called The Longest Day.

Tribute was also paid to the very sophisticated misinformation which led the Germans to expect the attack to be on Calais, and the other advanced inventions such as tanks that could swim, artificial movable “Mulberry harbours” with floating roadways and the breaking of German codes – which gave the Allies a huge advantage.

Resident Vicky Tomlinson described how Europe celebrated D-Day 80 years on, the symbol of the Red Lantern being placed all along the coastlines representing the “light of peace that emerged from the darkness of war” – specifically the colour red to represent the ultimate sacrifice undertaken on the beaches of Normandy and throughout WWII as a whole”.

I Vow To Thee My Country was sung and A Tribute from the Royal British Legion was presented by Reverend Rosie McMillan, remembering the sacrifices on D-Day, which was followed by the New Zealand National Anthem as the flag was lowered in the gloaming of the day, reflecting what it must have been like at Normandy 80 years before.

Dave Murdoch is a part-time photo-journalist based in Dannevirke. For the last 11 years he has covered any community story telling good news about the district.