- Goodwood Revival to mark 80 years since D-Day with a special on-track parade
- Parade to welcome over 100 military machines including the MASB 27 anti-submarine boat
- Goodwood Revival takes place Friday 6 - Sunday 8 September
- Friday and Saturday tickets are now sold out. Limited Sunday tickets remain at goodwood.com
Goodwood is proud to announce that this year’s Goodwood Revival will mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings with a special on-track parade.
More than 100 military machines, which were instrumental during the D-Day landings of Second World War, will attend the Revival - both on track and on display at Lavant Infield- to form the largest gathering of military vehicles at Goodwood. We are particularly honoured that the parade will welcome D-Day veterans John Dennett (Royal Navy) and George Chandler (Coastal Forces), as well as Chelsea Pensioners on Sunday 8 September.
From Supermarine Spitfires to magnificent Amphibious crafts, the parade will bring together an impressive collection of military machines to mark the significant anniversary, including Jeeps, Tanks, Half-Tracks, DUKW’s - GMC type nomenclature - motorbikes, aircraft and even boats.
Leading the parade will be Field Marshal Montgomery’s Rolls-Royce Wraith Staff Car, which has recently been restored to its original 1940s glory by Richard Hammond. Manufactured in 1939, the unique Rolls-Royce became the first civilian vehicle to disembark on the beaches of Normandy and was used by Montogomery throughout his campaigning in Europe - making it the perfect vehicle to lead the parade at the Revival.
Among those joining the display are the M36 Jackson, Valentine Amphibious Tank, Sherman Tank, M4 High-Speed Tractor and M8 Greyhound. Forming a spectacular focal point of the display will be the 63-foot MASB 27 anti-submarine boat, which was deployed during D-Day for air-sea rescue duties and aided in the transport of troops and armoured machinery from ship to shore.
Representing the aerial contingent will be Supermarine Spitfires and Auster Aircrafts, as well as an Airspeed Horsa Replica and two Douglas C-47 Skytrains that dropped paratroopers into Normandy during the D-Day offensive. All aeroplanes will be on display at the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation exhibition across the weekend. The Spitfires will also join in the Revival’s air display at 8am each morning and in the early evening on Saturday.
The commemorative parade follows the events that took place earlier in the year on Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 June, including the lighting of a beacon by The Duke of Richmond on St Roche’s Hill (The Trundle). R.A.F Westhampnett played a significant role in D-Day as a forward airfield for the Royal Air Force, acting as a base for fighter aircraft and providing support and protection for the allied landings in June 1944, whilst Goodwood House was transformed into a hospital at the outbreak of the Second World War.
The Duke of Richmond said: “I am incredibly proud that the Goodwood Revival is marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings with our largest parade to date. As R.A.F Westhampnett, the Motor Circuit served as a base for operations during this time, and we are honoured to be welcoming veterans as part of the parade, recognising their vital contribution during the Second World War. Featuring a range of impressive military machines, the parade will bring the Revival community together to remember and reflect on this important moment in history.”
Taking place on Sunday, the D-Day parade will join the full race schedule which is set to take place exclusively on sustainable fuels. The confirmed list of military machines taking part in the parade and on display will be available in the event’s Entry List which will be announced in the coming weeks. Friday and Saturday tickets are now sold out with limited tickets remaining for Sunday at goodwood.com.
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