Stokes Bay

When Stokes Bay was selected as an embarkation point for the D-Day landings, all of the buildings at the bay were commandeered for the purposes of Operation Overlord, and the bay became a restricted area. Local roads were reinforced to accommodate the vast number of Sherman tanks, Centaurs and armoured vehicles that were to be loaded onto ships and sent across to Normandy.  

Embarkation hards, concrete approaches with concrete mats that resemble chocolate bars, were constructed in 1943 in four locations along the bay to allow vehicles and supplies to be loaded onto landing craft. Each hard was accompanied by a number of buildings built on the promenade such as a hardmaster’s office, canteen, air raid shelter, first aid and a naval and victualling store. Much of the concrete matting can be seen today at low tide or when stormy weather exposes them. 

A command centre was needed to co-ordinate the operation and was constructed next to the Stokes Bay bathing station. After the war, the centre was used by the Stokes Bay Sailing Club who still operate the building today. To commemorate the buildings significance, Gosport Council awarded the building a blue plaque in 1966, which can be found on the right-hand side attached to a part of the original structure.  

Just along the bay from the old command centre building is the Canadian D-Day memorial, unveiled in 1994 to commemorate their 50^th anniversary of D-Day. The stone serves as a memorial to the Canadian troops who left Stokes Bay for Normandy on 6 June 1944. The 3^rd Canadian Infantry Division and the North Nova Scotia Highlanders embarked from hard G1, part of the 14,000 Canadians who landed on D-Day.