- Type of Memorial
- Window
- WMR Reference Number
- 87800
- Description
- The window's theme is Operation Overlord, and the pivotal role of the Armed Forces and Military Police in that Operation. The design is redolent with symbolism. On the background of the Union Flag, the letters D, A and Y (signifying D-Day) are overlaid in yellow glass (representing the Normandy sand); the arrow-shapes of the flag point the way to the beaches and the green landscape of France. The arrow also points eastward to the liturgical focus of the Memorial Church. At the heart of the "D" is a Sergeant of the Corps of Military Police (in the familiar red cap), standing between German beach defences, calmly beckoning the Allies toward France with his left hand and symbolically halting any German counter-attack with his right. Approaching the Redcap are elements of the Armed Forces working in tandem: at the top, on pale blue glass, the Royal Air Force is represented by a Spitfire and two AW41 Albermarle (with their white-stripe D-Day markings), deploying the Pathfinders and Airborne troops; in the centre (on a red glass background) HMS Belfast steams toward the coast; below (on dark blue glass), the land assault is represented by some of the 7000 naval craft responsible for escorting and landing over 132,000 ground troops, who were directed and dispersed on the beaches by members of the Corps of Military Police, the Royal Navy Regulators and the Royal Air Force Police. On the curve of the letter "D" are the three modern Police Service badges, i.e. the RAFP, RNP and RMP.
(It was from Southwick House that General Eisenhower gave the order to "go" for Operation Overlord).
- Inscription
- (None: the commemoration is implied by the symbolism of the images depicted)