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By Richard Jones

Published 4th Jun 2024, 17:00 BST

Eighty years ago, tens of thousands of Allied troops were preparing to set off from Portsmouth and the south coast of England to take part in an operation that would change the course of history.

On June 6, 1944, which became known as D-Day, Operation Overlord brought together unprecedented land, air, and sea forces in northwestern France.

In total, three million soldiers and hundreds of thousands of ships, planes and armoured vehicles were involved over the preceding weeks, and although the Allies actually failed to accomplish their objectives during the first day, they did gain a tenuous foothold in France.

That gradually expanded before the Liberation of Paris on August 25, the retreat of German forces east across the Seine five days later, and their eventual surrender in 1945.

On the eve of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a tribute is taking place to the fallen in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Bayeux War Cemetery in Normandy and Southsea Common in Portsmouth.

The event, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Southsea Common, will involve more than 500 military personnel, a 79-piece orchestra and powerful testimonies from veterans, as well as stunning lighting displays, readings, music and a Red Arrows flyover.

As darkness falls, each of the 4,600 headstones of those that fell will be individually illuminated across Bayeux War Cemetery, creating a poignant modern act of commemoration.

Kirsty Young anchors the 90-minute live broadcast from Bayeux Cemetery, where she is joined by special guests, guiding viewers through this remarkable story of our nation.

Petroc Trelawny provides accessible commentary for the blind and partially sighted.

D-Day 80: Tribute to the Fallen is one of a raft of programmes being broadcast on the BBC this week to mark the great historical turning point.

As well as three-part series D-Day: The Unheard Tapes and special editions of The Antiques Roadshow, Bargain Hunt, Countryfile and Newsround, tonight’s hour-long episode of The One Show (7pm) features one of the few remaining D-Day veterans as he’s reunited with an original Dakota that’s been painstakingly restored.

The presenters will also be bringing together some of the last surviving women of the Royal Navy (WRNS) who played key roles in the operation.

There’s also a poignant performance from The D-Day Darlings as we meet the younger generation of singers they’ve inspired, and with the help of Katherine Jenkins, The One Show gives a very emotional One Big Thank You to a dedicated volunteer who gives up her time to help veterans.

Then, tomorrow morning, the nation will come together to pay tribute in D-Day 80: We Will Remember Them (BBC One, 8.30am).

Set overlooking Gold Beach at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, the event, organised by the Royal British Legion and the Ministry of Defence, will be the first-ever National Commemoration at this location, with surviving D-Day veterans in attendance.

Within the event, contributions will be grounded in living testimony, gathered through special conversations curated exclusively for this anniversary, allowing us to hear the last remaining stories first-hand before we enter a post-witness era.

The event will conclude with a traditional act of remembrance, accompanied by a special tribute from the Red Arrows and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, flying over Normandy to salute this remarkable generation and our nation’s heroes.

Paddy O’Connell, whose father proudly served during D-Day, will provide commentary, while Sophie Raworth is joined by special guests at the British Normandy Memorial.

D-Day 80: Tribute to the Fallen in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Bayeux War Cemetery in Normandy and Southsea Common in Portsmouth