MARIAN Avery will never forget where she was when she realised that the D-Day invasion was imminent.

Marian Avery

Pupils from Purbrook Park School listen to residents' memories of D-Day and the Second World War

She worked for Portsmouth architects’ department at the time, which was billeted at a Southsea seafront hotel.

She and her colleagues used to go up to the roof of the hotel each lunchtime, and 5 June, 1944 was no different.

But that lunchtime as she looked out across to the shoreline she saw all of the landing craft there and realised that preparations were being made for the invasion.

Marian, now 87, said: “We weren’t even allowed to look out of the windows that day, but they’d forgotten that we used to go onto the roof at lunchtime.

“We went up and saw the landing craft on the other side of the pier, and realised this was the invasion. We shouted good luck and blew kisses. I’m not sure how many of those men came back.”

Her poignant story will be told as part of a weekend-long programme of events at Christ Church, Portsdown to mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day this weekend.

Funded by Hampshire County Council, the oral history project involved pupils from Purbrook Park School interviewing eight people who had lived through D-Day.

Those interviews were captured on film and edited to make a 25-minute DVD which will be shown as part of a 1940s-style community tea party at the church on Saturday (7 June), between 3pm and 5pm.
 
The church will be open throughout the D-Day weekend, from June 6 to 8.
 
It will begin with pupils from Purbrook Park and Purbrook Junior Schools creating a collage of wartime memories tomorrow morning (June 6).
 
And there will be a prayer vigil from 8pm that evening to recreate the vigil at the church just before D-Day 70 years ago. On June 4, 1944, Christ Church hosted a vigil at which the headquarters staff of the British Second Army dedicated to Almighty God the liberation of Europe.
 
The weekend will culminate with a service of thanksgiving at 10.30am on June 8, at which Bishop Christopher will be preaching.
 
Other anniversary events planned in Portsmouth between June 4 and 8 are:
 
- On June 4 at 3.30pm, BBC Radio 3 will broadcast a special Choral Evensong live from Portsmouth Cathedral.
- On June 5 at 11am, Bishop Christopher will lead a Drumhead Service on Southsea Common. Cathedral clergy and the Cathedral Choir will also be taking part.
- On June 8 at 10.30am, the Normandy D-Day Fellowship will hold their annual service at Portsmouth Cathedral.