Return of the GIANTS to Normandy

Return of the GIANTS to Normandy

The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee plaque will be by a pilot's silhouette again this year when the GIANT silhouettes return to Normandy for a third consecutive year.

The silhouettes arrive on Sunday 12 April, with the full installation in place from Saturday 25 April to Saturday 19 September 2026.

The creation of 1,475 giant silhouettes, each representing a life lost on D-Day, was originally inspired by the British Normandy Memorial’s Roll of Honour – a unique piece of historical research naming the servicemen in British units who died on 6 June 1944, as well as those who were killed throughout the Battle of Normandy.

In this third year, new figures will be unveiled among the 1,475. These additions feature Beach Masters, Dog Handlers, Royal Navy Officers, Tank Crew, Merchant Navy and Royal Engineers.

Reflecting the wider story of the Normandy Campaign, 40 silhouettes, representing British Commando Frogmen and personnel serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps, will also be included.

Members of the public can support the Memorial and the Standing with Giants charity by sponsoring a commemorative plaque for £150 in honour of a loved one who fell in any battle or conflict.

The plaques will stand in front of the Giants during their summer installation and will then remain at the Memorial for at least five years — a lasting and visible tribute to their sacrifice.

The return of this unique installation has been made possible thanks to generous sponsorship from the Normandy Memorial Trust’s partners: Airbus UK, BAE Systems, Smurfit Westrock and Gold Beach Tourism Office. The work involved in preparing and installing the silhouettes is carried out by a committed and ever-growing team of Standing with Giants volunteers.

More information is available at this link. https://www.britishnormandymemorial.org