D-Day events on 5 June 2019

Portsmouth will be the focal point of the UK commemorations for D-Day 75. There will be a host of events taking place from 5 to 9 June, including the UK’s national event on 5 June - being organised by the Ministry of Defence on behalf of HM Government and in association with the Royal British Legion.

The day will begin with a major national commemorative event on Southsea Common, for which heads of state from around the world have been invited. Hundreds of veterans will also be in attendance, before they head off to cross the Channel for Normandy once again. Due to the nature of this event and the invited guests, security will be high and large areas of Southsea Common will be closed to the public. However, the events will be shown live on BBC, with large screens set up for those who want to make their way down in person.

The event will include a naval gun salute fired from a Royal Navy frigate, followed by a spectacular flypast of up to 25 modern and historic aircraft. These will include the Red Arrows and iconic Spitfire. The Red Arrows will return later in the afternoon for a full display above Southsea Common.

The evening commemorations will see MV Boudicca depart Portsmouth with 300 D-Day veterans on board for their trip to Normandy. The ship, specially chartered by the Royal British Legion, will be escorted by a Royal Navy vessel to represent the famous crossings that took place 75 years ago. Visitors will be welcomed to wave the ship off on its journey.

The MV Boudicca will be met in the Solent by a line of Royal Navy vessels for a sail past salute. This will be followed by the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight over Portsmouth to mark the departure of The Royal British Legion’s ship.

Timings (subject to change)
7am - 1pm - National commemorative event.
8am - Big screens on Southsea Common open.
9am - Live coverage of the national commemorative event begins on BBC One.
12:45pm - Royal Navy frigate gun salute and flypast.
4.15pm - Red Arrows display.
6:25pm MV Boudicca departs.
7:40pm - The RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Comments

‘Southsea dinosaur’ returns

Luna Park 2021, an eagerly anticipated new public artwork for Portsmouth designed by internationally renowned artists Ivan Morison and Heather Peak of Studio Morison will be launched on 2 October 2021 on a celebratory day in Southsea Common. The 1.4 metres bronze sculpture is a tribute to the original 53-foot high 2010 artwork Luna Park, which tragically burned down on Southsea Common. The artists will unveil a new sculpture that responds to ten years of public demand to ‘bring back the Southsea Dinosaur’. The new public artwork will be located within a direct sightline to the position of the original Luna Park sculpture. It will sit on top of a fossil Portland stone plinth with a QR code which when scanned with a smartphone will connect to an Augmented Reality experience. People will be transported to a digital rendering of the original artwork, seemingly standing life-size in front of them on Southsea Common. Viewers will also be able to use their mobile devices to visit a...

Delicious thinly sliced pork in Korean marinade

Sometimes you found a recipe and wrote it down on a piece of paper to try it out. Having done that, you forget where the recipe came from. Likewise this Korean recipe for pork, which turned out to be so delicious we have cooked it for everyone. The marinade is simple to make and yet really packed with flavours. For the Korean marinade you need 3 garlic cloves 1/2 brown onion 1/2 a pear or apple Blitz these ingredients together and then add 5 tablespoons soy sauce (I use Kikkoman) 3 tablespoons caster sugar 2 tablespoons sesame oil 3 tablespoons mirin black pepper For dinner for 2 people, 200g pork tenderloin is enough. Slice this thinly, and bash it to an even thinner piece with a meat mallet. Marinade in the sauce and leave it in the fridge for an hour. Then heat a frying pan on medium heat with a teaspoon of vegetable oil and fry the thin pork pieces until browned. You want some of the edges of the meat to be dark brown and caramelised, if you can. Don't cook too many pieces or ...

The irresistible attraction of Sherlock Holmes

The silhouette of Sherlock Holmes, with his deerstalker hat, pipe and magnifying glass, is instantly recognisable. The stories have been translated into many languages, and new stories are always being written. All over the world actors have made their name by playing the famous – and infinitely malleable – detective, and groups meet to discuss and dress as characters from the stories. But what is behind this extraordinary attraction to the character of Holmes? Go along to the Spring Arts and Heritage Centre, to listen to Michael Gunton, Senior Archivist at Portsmouth City Library, who will explore some of the reasons for our enduring fascination with Sherlock Holmes. Perhaps due to the hugely popular television series starting Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, Holmes is often mistaken for a historical figure, rather than a fictional creation. An extensive collection of items relating to Conan Doyle is housed in the Library’s second floor history suite, and M...

SouthseaScene

Search This Blog