80th D-Day. Military parade, reconstituted camp…: this village near Caen honors its liberators

HAS Grainville-sur-Odonwest of Caen (Calvados), not far from the A84 which leads to Rennes, the town is preparing to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the city’s liberation.

“Honoring the courage of young Scots”

And week-end d’animations will take place in the town this Saturday June 29 and Sunday June 30, 2024.

On June 29, 80 years ago, the town was liberated, not without difficulty, by the British troops of the 15th Scottish Division. In order to celebrate this event, the municipality has set up a very rich and ambitious program of festivities with volunteers and associations. This 80th honors the courage of the young Scots who came to give freedom to our village in the summer of 1944.

Reconstructed camp, parade of military vehicles… What program?

It all starts this Friday June 28, 2024 with a evening dedicated to testimonial stories from 6:30 p.m. to bring back to life this period of the Occupation and Liberation in Grainville-sur-Odon. A film about the Battle of the Odon between Cheux and Grainville will take place at 8:30 p.m., before a weekend of festivities.

And Allied camp reconstituted will be present on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 June from 2 p.m. on the football field, with nearly 40 collectors and around fifteen vehicles. On Sunday morning, it will be time for a military parade in the streets of the townwith around ten vehicles.

Saturday June 29:

• 10am: Opening of the Epsom inter-allied military camp, with shows on 1940s themes (between 10am and 11:45am).
• 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.: Catering offered by the parents of the students, with messages of peace sent by the children of the two schools in the town
• 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Games and various activities (face painting, wooden games, motor skills courses, inflatable structures, etc.).
• 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.: bingo, on the field behind the football field

Sunday June 30:

• 9:45 a.m.: Parade of military vehicles in the streets of Grainville, preceded by bagpipe players from the Auld Alliance pipe band Normandy
• 11 a.m.: Ceremony at the war memorial with veterans from the UNC section of Tilly-sur-Seulles and the Resistance Flowers Association.
• 11:45 a.m.: Official inauguration of the new square opposite the nursery school named after Mr. Duchemin, mayor of Grainville in office during the war and post-war years
• 5 p.m.: Closure of the military camp

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