D-Day 80th Anniversary 2024
On the 6th June 2024 the UK will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings with a series of major commemorations and events across the UK and in France. Also known as D-Day, the historic operation saw the Allied Forces mount a large-scale invasion of Nazi-occupied France that ultimately tipped the course of the Second World War in the Allies’ favour.
Learn more about the planned D-Day commemorations.
The Army Benevolent Find will be playing its own part in recognising and remembering the enormous courage and sacrifice of those taking part.
80 years of the Army Benevolent Fund
As well as D-Day, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the Army Benevolent Fund’s foundation. In 1944, the tide of the war was beginning to turn, but three million British soldiers remained on active service, notably in France, Italy and Burma. The Army Board at the time was determined that these brave service men and women would not face the hardships endured by those who fought in World War One, a generation earlier. In February 1944, Winston Churchill’s War Cabinet discussed the formation of the Army Benevolent Fund – a national charity for the British Army – to ensure support would be available so that soldiers, former soldiers and their immediate families could avoid hardship and live with independence and dignity.
The welfare of soldiers, past and present, and their families, remains at the heart of everything we do. In the last 80 years, we have helped many hundreds of thousands of members of the Army family, from the youngest children to the oldest veterans, both in the UK and around the world.
Learn more about our history.
Get involved in D-Day commemorations
ABF EVENTS
Watch this space. ABF activities to commemorate D-Day and our own 80th anniversary will be posted here.
NATIONAL EVENTS
D-Day 80 Beacons
Introduction: a message from our President
The D-Day landings in June 1944 paved the way for the liberation of North-West Europe and, ultimately, victory in the Second World War. To this day, our charity remembers – and will always remember – the courage and sacrifice of those Allied soldiers who took part in what was the largest amphibious operation in the history of warfare. Our charity was established during the same year as the D-Day landings, with HM King George VI as Patron, to ensure support would be available for soldiers, veterans and their families in peacetime – and our founding purpose remains the same to this day. Thank you to everybody who participates in this important national campaign to remember the greatest amphibious operation in history, and the beginning of the end of the Second World War.
General Sir James Everard KCB CBE President, Army Benevolent Fund
Get involved and support the ABF
The D-Day 80 Beacons initiative is asking communities and organisations of all sizes to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day by lighting a beacon at 9.15pm on 6th June, in celebration of the ‘light of peace’ that emerged out of the darkness of war, followed by an event to commemorate one of the most momentous achievements in living memory. Your event could be devoted to raising valuable funds for the Army Benevolent Fund. Full information about what is happening and details of how to take part are available on the D-Day 80 Beacons website and in the official guide.
If you are unable to take part in the beacon lighting, then you can show your support by purchasing a Lamp Light of Peace, or an official D-Day 80 lapel badge.
Learn more about planned D-Day commemorations.