Criccieth Memorial Hall was full on 6 June thanks for afternoon tea hosted by the town council to mark 80 years since D-Day.

Dr Catrin Jones, Criccieth Town Council Clerk, welcomed everyone and thanked South Caernarfon Creameries, Harlech Foods and Kakes by Kay for their contributions and the volunteers who helped with preparations.

Superb entertainment was provided by the U3A Ukelele Band.

In the evening a large crowd gathered for the lighting of a beacon on Criccieth sea front, and a video by Rich Wilcock can be seen on our website.

Cllr Delyth Lloyd, Criccieth Town Council Chair, said: “We are here, not to glorify war but to remember and give thanks for the sacrifice that was made for us and our hope for peace. Twenty-six Criccieth men and one woman gave their lives serving in the second world war. We will remember them.”

Cllr Lloyd read a poem in Welsh by the late Gwyn Thomas ‘Mae Gennyf Freuddwyd’ (‘I have a dream’) which conveyed the message of the hope for peace around the world. This was followed by a reading of Laurence Binyion’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ by Cllr. Dr Peter Harlech Jones: ‘At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them’.

At 9.15pm the beacon was lit by Cllr Wayne Roberts and the Last Post was played by Dan Evans, followed by a minute’s silence.

1,500 beacons were lit around the UK at the same time.

The event follows a trip to Normandy for a group of Criccieth women who contributed to ‘The Longest Yarn’ exhibition at Notre-Dame.

On 28 May to mark in Normandy, Carentan’s mayor thanked those who contributed to the project at a reception in the town hall.

A permanent home will be built in the town in 2026 following a UK and USA tour.

‘The Longest Yarn’ contains panels portraying scenes from D-Day, made by contributors across the globe. They are on display until the end of August and can be seen at Holy Trinity Church, Llandudo, from 2-18 October.

Criccieth’s Gown of Poppies which can be seen in a Carentan shop window and is receiving a lot of attention.

The project was inspired and led by Tansy Forster.

Criccieth chose the Casino at Ouistreham for its panel because of links with the Kieffer commandos, French soldiers who spent time training at Criccieth during 1942-43. Margaret Rees designed the panel.