Corps Security commemorates 82 years since D-Day
On the 6th of June 1944, 82 years ago, all eyes were on Normandy for the D-Day landings. After six years of war and 12 years of Hitler’s reign of terror over Europe, over 156,000 troops stormed its beaches to push back against Axis occupation of France, marking a key moment that contributed to Nazi Germany’s surrender in 1945.
To help commemorate, Corps members came together in Normandy to honour those who lost their lives in securing Britain’s victory, celebrate the service of all veterans, and support our young cadet community.
Our commemoration
On D-Day, the Corps Veterans Association (CVA) and Corps colleagues walked 26km through Normandy to help raise £10,000 for Rhondda Sea Cadets. Proceeds raised will help buy a minibus to reach rural cadets, so they are not missing out on valuable training and life skills development.
The walk began at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, which records the names of the 22,540 servicemen and women under British command who fell on D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. The route followed the historic Gold, Juno and Sword Beaches, where the Allied invasion began, before concluding at Pegasus Bridge, which was captured by Allied forces.
This challenge forms part of our Road to 10K fundraiser, which began in May, when our team walked alongside the cadets from the Treorchy Cemetery Commonwealth War Graves site to the Tonypandy War Memorial, raising £1,000 for the cause.
Read more about the fundraiser and see images of our commemorations on our LinkedIn.
Continued impact
167 years ago, Captain Sir Edward Walter founded the Corps of Commissionaires, now Corps Security, to provide meaningful employment to ex-servicemen returning from the Crimean War. This is a heritage we still hold close as we strive to ensure that veterans’ valuable skills benefit civilian society.
Today, our social enterprise model means that giving back to the communities that served and continue to serve us through fundraising partnerships is embedded in our values, and it remains a key reason ex-servicemen join our organisation.
Internally, the CVA provides targeted employment initiatives such as supported recruitment pathways, mentoring programmes, and professional development opportunities to our veteran community.
D-Day serves as a reminder of the sacrifice that thousands made in a single day to put an end to the Second World War, and a moment to commemorate the bravery of those who have fought in all conflicts so that we could live in a safer society.
To help support the Rhondda Sea Cadets, please consider donating to our Road to 10k fundraiser. Throughout the year, we will be raising funds and awareness of the vital work the unit carries out for young people in their community.
