We are holding an event on Saturday 8th June at St Paul's Gardens, London W14 to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings as part of 'Operation Overlord' which took place in Normandy on 6th June 1944. The invasion led to the liberation of German occupied Europe and the eventual end of WW2.
We are desperately short of some WW2 military vehicles for our display - we currently have just two jeeps. Would any members be interested in bringing a vehicle along for the day? We would particularly like a staff car, Daimler Dingo scout car, ambulance, Dodge 4x4 and a BSA M20. I hope you can help.
Many residents are unaware that Hammersmith played a key part in the invasion - Generals Montgomery and Eisenhower and their staff planned the entire invasion at St Paul's Boys School on Hammersmith Road. This huge military operation was the largest seaborne invasion in military history - on the first three days 38 convoys of 745 ships moved in, supported by 4,066 landing craft carrying 185,000 men and 20,000 vehicles, and 347 minesweepers. more than 11,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion.
The school building was demolished shortly after the School moved to Barnes in 1968 but the High Master's House (now St Paul's Hotel) and the gardens remain. In 2018 local residents formed the Friends of St Paul's Gardens and organized the restoration and maintenance of the Gardens in conjunction with enthusiastic support from the Council. To celebrate this achievement the Friends have planned an event to officially open the restored Gardens and to commemorate the D-Day connection.
