June 6 this year marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy and the amazing Lower School History Club members have been researching this monumental turning point in WW2. The importance of these landings cannot be understated. The campaign saw the largest amphibious operation in military history up to this date. This opening of a second front in the campaign against Nazi Germany was intended to relieve the pressure off the Soviet army in the East and to weaken Germany’s position in western Europe.

The D-Day landings were seen as the beginning of the end of the Second World War and over 160,000 allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy in northern France in order to begin the liberation of Europe from Nazi control. Lower School History Club students have been researching the events of D-Day, but also the contribution made to the campaign by former students of Ipswich School. We have found out that 676 former students of the school fought in World War Two and many of those were involved in the Normandy landings. One particular former student, Eric Lummis, wrote an account of D-Day in 1989 and the History Club students have been fortunate to read a copy of this, which was kept in the school archives.

As part of their research the students have completed a display board in the History corridor and they have drawn out their own large scale map to show the five landing beaches where divisions of the allied troops landed on 6 June 1944. The students are giving an Academic Excellence on Monday 17 June at 4.30pm, which will explain the importance of D-Day, what happened and give accounts of people who experienced the event. Please save this date if you would like to find out more about this incredibly important event and support the work of these fantastic students.

Lottie T said: “It’s really fun being part of History Club. I have found looking at the events of D-Day both fascinating and disturbing. The accounts that I have read show how brutal the fighting was and I am in awe of the bravery and resilience shown by those fighters.” Lily B said: “Producing and painting the maps has been really fun.” Bunny C-B added: “It has been a brilliant and informative journey and we are looking forward to presenting our findings.”

Article written by Mrs Manson, History Teacher