A BEACON is to be lit near Largs to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June.

The Skelmorlie Secret Bunker museum will hold the commemoration on the evening of Thursday, June 6.

An evening of family activities at the former nuclear monitoring post in the back hills behind Largs and Skelmorlie will run from 7pm until 10pm, with a beacon being lit at 9.15pm.

The 25 Group Royal Observer Corps Association (ROCA) will be taking part in the UK-wide beacon lighting ceremony, while a piper from Largs will play tunes by William Millin, the personal piper to Lord Lovat, as portrayed by Pipe Major Leslie de Laspee, official piper to the Queen Mother, in the 1962 film The Longest Day that told the story of the landings on the Normandy coast.

Museum curator Frank Alexander said: "Thanks to the amazing generosity of the Fish Works in Largs and the Co-op in Wemyss Bay, fish suppers and hot and cold soft drinks will be provided prior to the beacon lighting ceremony to all our visitors with a donation optional to armed forces charities. 

Largs and Millport Weekly News: Frank Alexander is museum curator Frank Alexander is museum curator (Image: Newsquest)"We will also be running a WW2 German and British model aircraft recognition competition, a WW2 swift training rifle practice shoot, and a special museum exhibition based on the SS Jeremiah O’Brien."

This ship, which is now preserved in San Francisco, made 11 cross-Channel round trips in support of the Allied invasion.

On board the ship during the operation were two Royal Observer Corps volunteers, James Overend and Cecil Poole, who provided vital advice to the ship's gunners on aircraft recognition and which planes to direct their fire at.

Largs and Millport Weekly News:

Frank added: "In addition, the Garnock Valley Men's Shed model section will be displaying some D-Day models. 

"There is no booking system or admission charges, so just turn up on the evening from 7pm, and you will be made most welcome."