As part of the 75th Commemoration of Operation Overlord the Bracklesham and East Wittering branch of the British Legion held a short ceremony on 6 June to recognise the part the area played in the preparation for the D-Day Landings.
The ceremony was attended by Seaward representatives as we had been asked if we would be able to commission a new plaque for the memorial stone at the Legion to replace one located at the old Gibson’s Holiday Camp in Bracklesham which was requisitioned during the Second World War as a Royal Marine Training Camp. The plaque was blessed during the ceremony.
It was from the holiday camp that the Royal Marines left for Itchenor where they embarked the 601 landing craft flotilla bound for the Normandy beaches. Tragically, whilst the Marines survived the landings, on the return journey to the UK on 21 July several of the landing craft were sunk with the loss of life of many officers and men.
