The Spirit of D-Day 2026 Event – Saturday 6th June
On Saturday 6th June, the Penllergare Trust will host the Spirit of D-Day 2026 Event to commemorate the role Penllergare House played in the preparations for the D-Day landings and the US 5th Engineers Special Brigade, which was based there as its Headquarters.
The event runs from 11am until 3pm and is family-friendly. At 12pm, we will be unveiling a commemorative plaque to the 5th Engineers Special Brigade. We will also be joined by Danger UXB and their mobile museum, alongside educational and fun activities for children and families to enjoy. The event is free and will last until 3pm.
At the heart of the event will be remembering the contribution that the 5th Engineers Special Brigade made, and the role that Penllergare House played as their headquarters in South Wales. Please see below some details about the event and its contribution:
The Spirit of D-DAY 2026
June 6 marks the anniversary of D-Day, one of the most pivotal moments in our history. On this day in 1944, Allied forces launched Operation Overlord, the invasion of Nazi-occupied Normandy, France. While the beaches of Normandy and the valour of the soldiers who stormed them are often the focus of commemorations, much less is reported on the critical role South Wales and Swansea played in the preparations for those D-Day landings.
Swansea’s Penllergare House was the headquarters of the 5th Engineer Special Brigade, with their 34 thousand men camped out in marshalling camps across Swansea and South Wales, who were the first to land on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944 at 06:35 a.m.
The story of D-Day is not just about the beaches and battlefields, but also about the countless individuals and communities who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Penllergare House was integral to the success of the Allied invasion, providing the industrial might, logistical support, and training grounds necessary for victory. As we mark the anniversary of D-Day, let us remember and honour the vital contributions of the 5th Engineer Special Brigade and the people of South Wales, whose efforts helped shape the course of history.
(Photograph – Troops of the US 5th Engineer Special Brigade, wade through the surf to the northern coast of France, at Fox Green Sector of Omaha Beach, Normandy. 8 June 1944. by Paul Reynolds – Historic Military Photo Colourisations).