A memorial garden honouring D-Day veterans has been unveiled at Stokes Bay in Gosport after years of planning, with a 100-year-old veteran conducting the ceremony before dignitaries and members of the public.
The memorial was officially opened yesterday morning (June 5) at Stokes Bay near Gosport, drawing veterans and community members to witness the culmination of years of dedicated effort. The Dean of Gosport, Rev Dr Paul Chamberlain, conducted a formal dedication ceremony attended by distinguished guests and civic leaders.
The Gosport D-Day Fellowship’s volunteer team has spent years securing planning permissions and necessary licences for the project. After the site beside Stokes Bay Sailing Club was consecrated last year, members dedicated the past fortnight to completing final preparations for this five-year endeavour.
The memorial commemorates Gosport’s significant contribution to Operations Neptune and Overlord on 6 June 1944. A granite block recovered from Fort Gilkicker’s casemate renovations forms the centrepiece, encircled by five metal benches symbolising the beaches stormed during Operation Overlord.
Albert Westgate, a centenarian D-Day veteran from Waterlooville, performed the unveiling ceremony. Mr Westgate represents the dwindling number of surviving military personnel from June 1944, when Allied forces launched history’s largest amphibious assault to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation.
Project leader Jilly Salvat, who assumed responsibility following founder Malcolm Chapman’s death, previously gathered supporters at the site during VE Day commemorations last month. They paid tribute to the countless servicemen who departed Gosport before D-Day, many never to return.
Before yesterday’s ceremony, she commented: “This has been an extensive journey from the original vision of our late founders Malcolm Chapman and Tony Belben, who established the Gosport D-Day Fellowship in 2011.
“Although we scaled back from Gosport Borough Council’s 2020 proposals, we’ve raised nearly £30,000 towards installing this essential focal point recognising the town’s crucial D-Day role, which fundamentally altered European history over eight decades.
“I was committed to completing this project within the 80th anniversary year, and everything is now positioned for success. We’re thrilled that Mr Westgate accepted our invitation. I extend gratitude to both Gosport Borough Council and Hampshire County Council for supporting this project, representing our founders’ lasting legacy.”
The ceremony featured Hampshire Deputy Lord Lieutenant Commodore Richard Powell leading the official delegation. Retired Lieutenant General Sir David Bill, formerly of the Royal Engineers, attended alongside Gosport MP Dame Caroline Dinenage, Hampshire County Council leader Nick Adams-King, and Gosport Mayor Kirsten Bradley.
A Canadian Embassy representative from London participated, acknowledging the 14,000 Canadian personnel from 3rd Infantry Division and 2nd Armoured Brigade who sailed on D-Day. Family members of the classified Combined Operations Pilotage Parties, stationed on Hayling Island from 1943 through the war’s conclusion, attended the ceremony.
During the Normandy assault, COPP 6 teams, including Lt Peter Wild and Petty Officer John Bowden, directed floating tanks from the Royal Hussars 13th/18th Regiment to deployment positions 5,000 yards offshore from Sword Beach.
One-third of these forces advanced directly to shore under intense enemy bombardment, guiding Royal Engineers’ beach-clearing AVRE tanks onto Queen Red beach during the opening moments of H-Hour on D-Day.
Lt Colonel Arthur Cocks, who wed Marjorie Du Caurro Chads from Fareham at Alverstoke in 1932, perished when German fire struck his Churchill tank as he commanded his crew to disembark the LCT mere yards from Sword Beach. The 40-year-old former Minor Counties cricketer holds the distinction of being the first British officer killed during Operation Overlord.
Related: D-Day Heroes Cross Channel for 80th Anniversary Commemorations
