In 1944 Cornwall was the temporary home for tens of thousands of American forces as they trained and prepared for D-Day. Some were billeted locally, such as at Heligan House, and the dress rehearsal for casualty evacuation on D-Day took place at nearby Pentewan. On 1st and 2nd June the troops travelled from their sausage camps such as those in clay country where they had received their last hot meal, made last visits to medical & dental facilities, were given their orders, French currency, personal ammunition and rations and were given the chance to write a last letter home. They were driven down specially designated routes, like those down the Roseland peninsula, to the embarkation hards on the River Fal at Tolverne, Turnaware and Messack Point, the Grove and Harvey’s Yard in Falmouth, on the Helford River at Polgwidden (now known as Trebah), and to Jupiter Point at Antony, Saltash Passage and Mount Edgecumbe on the River Tamar where they boarded their landing craft of varying sizes heading for the beach at Omaha, Normandy to begin the liberation of western Europe from Nazi tyranny and oppression. Among their final preparations onboard their craft were church services where chaplains prepared the men spiritually for the task that lay ahead with the very real prospect that many of them would die in the pursuit of bringing freedom and peace to the subjugated peoples of Europe. Thus it is right and fitting on the 80th anniversary of these historic events we invite you to join us for…

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D Day 80

A Service of Commemoration & Thanksgiving

Remembering the role Cornwall played in 1944

on Sunday 2nd June
4:00pm – 5:00pm

at Haven Church
off Church, Street, Gorran Haven

The service will include an Act of Remembrance, hymns and prayers that were used in 1944, stories, photos and film footage from Cornwall’s role in the events

as we seek to discover why prayer, Scripture and faith were a vital part of what they did in 1944.

You will find a warm welcome.