THE 80th anniversary of D-Day will be marked in Crediton next week. 

There will be an evening event for the lighting of the beacon on Thursday, June 6, and more during the day beforehand. 

Kev Payne, the town crier, will read a proclamation in the Town Square in the morning at 8am. 

At 11am, schoolchildren at Hayward’s and Landscore primary schools and Queen Elizabeth's School will read a poem entitled “D-Day Heroes”. 

Kirtonians will then be encouraged to buy fish and chips for lunch at Chef's Choice and Trawler's Catch as part of a national bid to sell 156,000 portions, recognising the 156,000 troops who landed at Normandy. 

In the evening, everyone is invited to go to Beacon Park from 8pm to enjoy 1940s-era music from Crediton Town Band, refreshments and a show of vintage cars. 

The beacon will be lit at 9.15pm, the same time as other similar events across the nation and on the continent, followed by a two-minute silence. 

The Allied invasion of Normandy, often referred to as “D-Day”, is the largest sea-to-land invasion in history. 

It took place on June 6, 1944. This year, 2024, marks the 80th anniversary of the landings, which saw Allied troops land on 50 miles of beaches in northern France: Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword. More than 4,400 Allied soldiers lost their lives during the invasion. 

Beacon Park can be found at the top of George Hill on the north-west side of Crediton. 

Other beacon-lighting events will also be held in the villages surrounding the town.