Pupils remember D-Day with ‘armada’ of model ships

Pupils from Ellesmere Primary School are preparing to ‘launch’ an armada of small ships in a symbolic re-creation of the 1944 D-Day landings that helped bring an end to the Second World War and the defeat of Nazi Germany.

The children are making a fleet of model boats which will be placed near the town’s War Memorial as part of a special event on Thursday, June 6, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion of the Normandy beaches in France.

The evening of commemoration, at St Mary’s parish church, has been jointly organised by Ellesmere Town Council and the local branch of the Royal British Legion.

It will feature poems and reading by the primary schoolchildren and students from Lakelands Academy, together with music by the award-winning Porthywaen Silver Band.

The model ships will be planted in the churchyard when the Mayor of Ellesmere, Councillor Graham Hutchinson, will lay a wreath at the War Memorial before the service in honour of those who died during the D-Day landings.

Local scouts are also producing their own little boats and a large replica of a Royal Navy ship will also be on display, to represent the six thousand vessels involved in the largest seaborne invasion in history. It was built by Tony Boys, a member of the local Fizzgigs community arts group.

Ellesmere Primary School head teacher, Nicola Bond said: “The children are learning how D-Day changed everything in the Second World War and they are looking forward to taking part in the commemoration.

"They are very grateful and proud of the achievements and sacrifices made by all our men and women during the war and they want to keep the memories alive.”

Bob McBride, chairman of the Legion’s Ellesmere and District Branch, said: “As well as raising money to look after the welfare needs of servicemen and women, a big part of our mission is to keep the flame of remembrance burning, so it’s a really heart-warming to see young people from our local school getting involved in an event like this at an early age.

“I hope that older residents in the town and surrounding area will also come along to this commemoration. D-Day was a crucial turning point in the Second World War. Thousands of Allied troops were killed and wounded in the June sixth landings and the subsequent battle of Normandy, and we have a duty to remember the sacrifices that they made to give us the freedoms we enjoy today.”

St. Mary’s church will be open from 6.30pm, with wreath-laying taking place at 7.30pm.

Refreshments will be available after the service, and the beacon for peace will be lit at 9.15pm, to coincide with hundreds around the country.