Fully loaded LSTs (Landing Ship Tank or ‘Large Slow Targets’) in Salcombe Harbour.
Salcombe War Memorial in foreground (U.S. Navy)

2024 Annual General Meeting
The History Society held a successful Annual General Meeting on 26 March 2024 at Salcombe Rugby Club. Many thanks to members and visitors who attended. Ken Prowse, Chair of the Society, gave a presentation about the year’s events. Following AGM business, Phil Lilley presented an interesting and insightful film show & talk about The Primrose Line.

Salcombe Crabfest
The Society shared a stand on Island Street with Salcombe Maritime Museum at Salcombe Crabfest on 5 May 2024. Thanks to all who visited the stand and inspected the displays of old photographs, artefacts and books. Committee members were on hand to answer questions about Salcombe’s past.

The Society and Salcombe Maritime Museum shared a stand at Salcombe’s Crabfest on 5 May 2024. Pictured from left Jasper Evans, Ken Prowse, Abigail Gray and Colin De La Mare (Photographer Roger Barrett)

Salcombe D-Day 80
Salcombe has an exciting Programme of events on Thursday 6 June 2024 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The day’s events will give an opportunity to remember, honour and pay respects to all those who gave so much for our freedom.

Commemoration Parade
H.M. Deputy Lieutenant of Devon, The Honourable Sarah Lopes, and James H. Rhodes U.S. Navy (retired) whose father was the Commanding Officer of one of the first U.S. Navy Ships that sortied from Salcombe Harbour in June 1944 will join representatives of the Royal British Legion, Holy Trinity Church Salcombe, Salcombe’s emergency services, Salcombe Harbour Authority, the RNLI, over 20 of Salcombe’s community and volunteer organisations, County, District and Town Councillors, neighbouring parishes, and Anthony Mangnall, parliamentary candidate for South Devon, in the Commemoration Parade.

Salcombe’s D-Day Heroes
We will remember the sacrifices of the American servicemen and also the local men who took part in the D-Day campaign.

Courtesy of Salcombe Maritime Museum

Salcombe and D-Day
An illustrated film show & talk by Roger Barrett, Chair of Salcombe Maritime Museum, on Thursday 6 June 2024, 4 to 5.30 pm at Cliff House, Cliff Road, TQ8 8JQ. Everyone welcome, suggested donation of £5.00 to the Royal Naval Association on the door.

The build-up of landing craft in Salcombe Harbour before D-Day.
LCTs (Landing Tank Craft) Mill Bay, LSTs behind (U.S. Navy)

LSTs in Salcombe Harbour. Barrage balloons above

Preparing for D-Day: The U.S. Navy in Salcombe
Roger Barrett will present a film show & talk on Tuesday 11 June 2024, 7 pm for 7.30 pm at Salcombe Rugby Club, Camperdown Road, TQ8 8AX. Everyone welcome, members free, £5 non-members. Bar open.

Sortie from Salcombe: The D-Day Story of the Ships and Men of Convoy U2A
This book relives those momentous days through the eyes of Salcombe’s residents and the young – mostly inexperienced – American sailors who bravely took their ships into harm’s way. Some of them returned, but many others perished when their ships were destroyed by the enemy. The authors have drawn on a rich trove of published and unpublished sources to tell their story.