Divers invited to be part of D-Day landings commemoration project

A BSAC regional project to mark this year’s 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings is looking for more clubs to get involved.

BSAC’s Southern regional team has just launched Neptune 70 – an ambitious project that aims to dive and record many of the south coast wrecks and sites connected to the landings.

Seventy years ago this June, Allied forces embarked on Operation Overlord – the invasion of Normandy and, ultimately the liberation of France. Operation Neptune was the maritime phase of the invasion, starting from the ports and harbours of the south coast, with more than 7,000 vessels setting sail for the French coast.

Today, the south coast bears witness to Operation Neptune, with many wreck and dive sites evidence of the build up to the Normandy invasion.

Neptune 70 now aims to commemorate this invasion and to pay tribute to those who lost their lives during the operation. Project leader Alison Mayor said the aim was to gather basic but accurate information relating to Operation Neptune and share this data with English Heritage and the D-Day Museum.

“Whether the sites are the remains of ships, landing craft, barges, Mulberry harbours or tanks and other vehicles, these wrecks are a reminder of Operation Neptune and a crucial part of our heritage.”

“Many branches will be familiar with sites they have visited with a D-Day connection and it is these sites we are keen to gather data on.”

For more information on Neptune 70 email s.reds@bsac.com.