D-Day events in Rutland and Stamford include a screening of The Longest Day and laying of wreaths
The 75th anniversary of D-Day was given a fitting commemoration by people who lived and served in this area.
Three D-Day veterans were guests of honour at a special screening of the film The Longest Day at Uppingham Town Hall on Thursday last week, which was also attended by 70 people including the Lord Leiutenant of Rutland, Dr Sarah Furness, who helped organise the event, and Coun Stephen Rozak, deputy mayor of Uppingham.
Dr Sarah Furness, said: “It was a really wonderful evening. We were honoured to be joined by three veterans from Rutland and it was a really moving evening. In fact, they were really proud and pleased to be honoured.”
As well as commemorating D-Day, the event raised about £350 for the Royal British Legion.
On the same day in Stamford, Mayor of Stamford Breda Griffin and the Stamford branch of the Royal British Legion laid wreaths after a short service at the town’s war memorial on Broad Street.
Meanwhile, Nick Houghton a pilot from Langham, took his Beech C45 Expeditor aeroplane to Duxford to act as a camera ship for the ‘Daks over Normandy’ event.
This saw 21 Douglas C-47/DC-3 Dakotas fly from Duxford to France to mark D-Day, and 10 parachutists dropped to land on in Normandy.
Among the 15 Dakotas that flew over from the US was the aircraft that led the main air assault on D-Day, with the nose art of ‘That’s All Brother’.
This was photographed from Nick Houghton’s plane. The image of the Dakota was sent in by Neil Bridges of Rutland Aviation Society.
