The Swanage railway has marked the upcoming 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of France by unveiling a commemorative plaque on the station building at Swanage, the lines terminus.

Swanage does not have the same level of national remembrance as other famous beaches across the south coast, where allied troops left to fight in the biggest ever invasion by sea as part of the Second World War.

It played host to American troops known as Gls that were stationed there from November 1943. Most, if not all, of the soldiers arrived by train in preparation for D-Day in 1944.

It was the last part of the UK that most Americans saw before their boats sailed for Omaha Beach in Normandy, to face the horrors of battle against the Germans. Most of them would never return.

The plaque was the idea of Swanage Railway Trust, trustee Robert Patterson, who also volunteers as a station porter.

It was Peter Lovett, a former British soldier who fought on the beaches on June 4th, 1944, that unveiled it. He has been a local resident of Swanage since 1964; and is also a grandfather.

Other guests in attendance for the unveiling ceremony on Monday 27 May, included Tina Foster, Mayor of Swanage, and civic community guests.

To give a taste of what Swanage station would have looked like in early 1944, members of the Dorset Military Vehicle Enthusiasts’ Group also attended in period uniforms and vehicles for display on the stations forecourt.

The plaque dedicates to the troops of the 26th Infantry Regiment of the US Army’s First Infantry Division, who were known as the ‘Big Red One’ for their unique red shoulder flash worn on their uniforms.

“I was honoured to unveil the D-Day plaque because it’s important that people remember and learn from the sacrifices of the past to defend freedom. My father’s war – the First World War – was never remembered. There were a lot of American troops in the Isle of Purbeck training for D-Day and Swanage station played an important part in transporting the GIs.

I was 19 years old when I landed in Normandy on D-Day with the King’s Regiment, in the
second wave, on the five-mile long Juno Beach at 8.30am with Canadian forces. There were
dead bodies in the water and on the beach.
It was the job of assault troops was to get ashore and push inland – it was the job of the second
wave to clear the beach”

Peter Lovett D-Day veteran

After unveiling the plaque, the guests were treated to a ride behind the recently restored T3 4-4-0 No.563.

The locomotive, built in 1893 at the London South Western Railway Workshops at Nine Elms, was one of two remaining of its class, and both were destined for the breaker’s yard.

However, the outbreak of the Second World War saved them somewhat ironically as it was decided that both locos might come in useful on troop and military supply and ammunitions trains.

Luckily, No.563 survived the war, and was withdrawn in 1945 and subsequently preserved.

“The role the American soldiers – the GIs – played in training for D-Day in the Isle of Purbeck while being billeted in Swanage from November, 1943, to April, 1944, was an important and historic one and should be remembered.

Located on the platform at Swanage above the doors from the booking hall, the plaque will be
a constant reminder of D-Day, 1944, and the sacrifices made by the American and other Allied
forces to defend freedom and return freedom to Europe in the face of Nazi tyranny.
The Swanage Railway‘s D-Day plaque project was three months in the planning and everyone
came together to help make it a really memorable and poignant event – I would like to thank all
of them.

There was immediate interest in the plaque, as soon as it was unveiled, from our passengers
who were genuinely interested and unaware that the American GIs trained for D-Day in the Isle
of Purbeck and left for D-Day by train from Swanage station in April, 1944, bound for Devon and
the Normandy beaches.”

Robert Patterson, Swanage Railway Trust trustee

Peter was delighted to unveil the D-Day plaque and it was great that he could
join us for the event. Despite being 99-years old, Peter’s memories of D-Day are still very clear.
I am really proud of the way that the Swanage Railway’s D-Day plaque project has come
together and it was wonderful to introduce Peter Lovett to the guests before the unveiling, along
with his daughter and grandson.

The plaque is important because it records the important role that Swanage, and its railway station, played in the preparations for the D-Day invasion of Normandy on Tuesday, 6 June, 1944.

“It is important to remember because people forget and it’s essential we keep reminding people
about the tragedy of war,” added Frank who served in the Royal Corps of Signals for 25 years
and has been a dedicated Swanage Railway volunteer for more than 40 years.

Frank Roberts, Swanage Railway Trust chairman and former military veteran