Battle of Britain Bunker events mark D-Day 80th anniversary

Hillingdon Council’s Battle of Britain Bunker Exhibition and Visitor Centre is hosting a range of fun and informative events to commemorate one of the most important moments in military history.  For full booking details and more information visit https://battleofbritainbunker.co.uk/whats-on/

Crafting, choirs and climbing are among the activities residents and visitors are being invited to attend as the bunker marks the 80^th anniversary of D-Day, this summer.

Events at the bunker, in Uxbridge, run from Thursday 6 June until Sunday 9 June, and offer opportunities to learn about this historic moment, while also having fun and being entertained in one of the borough’s most unique settings.

The bunker is intrinsically connected with D-Day, as the airborne support was orchestrated from there and because one of the WAAF officers stationed in the top secret headquarters issued the secret orders for Operation Overlord to commence.

In addition to the permanent D-Day exhibition in the visitor centre there will also be a pop-up ‘D-Day 80’ exhibition on the mezzanine to mark the anniversary, including a fascinating diorama of the infamous beach landing.

The mezzanine of the visitor centre will host a variety of musical performances, with choirs, bands and singers playing throughout the weekend.

For youngsters, a climbing wall will be erected in the picnic area, so they can test their bouldering skills and a D-Day themed crafting session will help them get creative while learning.

For the grown-ups, D-Day-themed tours of the bunker’s famous Operations Room will be on offer each day, and visitors can test their knowledge in a themed pub quiz, hosted by aviation expert Joe Coles.

Add in some expert author talks and there’s a compelling package to entice residents to come and find out about how a top-secret venue right on their doorstep played a crucial role in this pivotal moment of the Second World War.

Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “We’re delighted to be offering a brilliant range of events to mark this most notable date in history at our unique venue that has its own important ties to this notorious date in military history.

“Young and old will find something of interest and the fascinating ‘D-Day 80’ exhibition highlights the importance and incredible feat of logistics, of this important day and the borough’s connection to it.”

Operation Overlord (D-Day) was the largest amphibious invasion in history, which landed thousands of Allied troops on the Normandy coast to help liberate Europe from Nazi occupation. It began on 6 June 1944.