New Publication: ‘Oh Day of Days!’

Our new publication, ‘Oh Day of Days!’ has been produced to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in June 1944, and is available in the Heritage Centre (price £4.50), and from our online shop (price £6.50 including postage and packing).  Along with a new exhibition, which will be available in the Heritage Centre Museum from 5 June 2024, it highlights Ventnor’s (and the Isle of Wight’s) role in the invasion and the experiences of local people.

The Isle of Wight was closer to the Normandy beaches than any other part of Britain, and the Ventnor district hosted vital facilities such as the RAF radar station, a Royal Navy wireless interception station and the main radio station used for communication between the high command and the invasion forces.  The exhibition will feature the logbook (supervisors’ diary) from RAF Ventnor covering 17 May to 12 June 1944, currently on loan to the Ventnor Heritage Centre from a private collector; the title of the new booklet ‘Oh Day of Days!’ is taken from the entry in the Radar Station logbook for 10 am on 6 June 1944.