D-Day silhouettes find new home in the UK

The 1,475 silhouettes were created by Oxfordshire based charity Standing with Giants

An art installation dedicated to the British servicemen who lost their lives on D-Day, has found a new home.

The 1,475 silhouettes, created by Oxfordshire based charity Standing with Giants, will head to Fort Nelson in Portsmouth ahead of Remembrance Day.

They have spent the summer standing guard above Gold Beach in Northern France but had nowhere to go when they returned to the UK.

"Once we heard they were looking for a temporary home, it seemed a no-brainer for us. We're both very pleased and honoured to have them here coming to the fort," said Nigel Hosier, Head of Operations at Fort Nelson.

Dan Barton and his wife Janette founded the Witney based charity and created the artwork in 2022.

They have been displayed at different locations since then - including Fort Nelson - and in July an appeal was launched to find them a new home.

Mr Barton said they were "really thrilled to be back" at the Hampshire fort.

The charity was hoping for somewhere with a military connection and with Portsmouth's direct links to D-Day have met that requirement.

'The ultimate sacrifice'

Troops from the UK, the US, Canada, and France attacked German forces on the coast of northern France, on 6 June 1944.

Portsmouth was one of the key embarkation points for many of the landing craft ahead of what was the largest seaborne invasion in history.

Mrs Barton reflected on why the couple maintains their commitment to the giants.

She said: "It's to continue the remembrance of all of those souls who have lost their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice.