For Your Tomorrow at Fort Nelson
The People’s Tribute
From October 2025 to January 2026, the Royal Armouries Fort Nelson hosted For Your Tomorrow, The People’s Tribute, our large-scale remembrance installation honouring the 1,475 servicemen under British Command who lost their lives on D-Day.
Fort Nelson stepped forward when our planned UK autumn display was cancelled because of traffic restrictions imposed by the local council. , the BBC travelled to Normandy and gave us the opportunity to make a public appeal for help, asking whether a venue could come forward to host the installation when it returned to the UK.
Following that appeal, the Royal Armouries Fort Nelson contacted us and offered the installation a new home.
We had previously worked with Fort Nelson on our Falklands remembrance installation several years earlier and had built excellent relationships with the staff and local community groups. Their team understood the importance and practical requirements of our work and responded with tremendous enthusiasm despite the limited preparation time available.
Fort Nelson’s willingness to step forward ensured that this important tribute could continue to be seen by the public.
An Extraordinary Public Response
The public response was remarkable. The first 60,000 tickets were reserved in under one week, with the venue reaching full capacity each day.
Due to overwhelming demand, the exhibition was extended for a further 8 weeks and a further 20,000 tickets were released. These were reserved in under 24 hours.
The team at Fort Nelson responded quickly to accommodate the exceptional level of public interest. Parking capacity was expanded, additional café and retail staff were brought in, and the venue successfully welcomed an average of more than 600 visitors every day.
Despite the scale of demand, visitors were given the time and space to walk among the silhouettes, reflect on the individual lives represented and understand the true human cost of D-Day.
Extensive Media Coverage
BBC and ITV News visited us at Fort Nelson throughout the display, helping to share the story and meaning of For Your Tomorrow with audiences across the country.
On the first day of opening, the BBC broadcast its first regional live stream from the installation, remaining live from Fort Nelson for four hours.
The exhibition also received widespread national and international media coverage. This helped people who were unable to visit in person experience the scale and emotional impact of the tribute and reflect on the service and sacrifice represented by the silhouettes.
D-Day Veterans as Guests of Honour
We were deeply honoured to be joined by Normandy veterans, Henry Rice, Alec Penstone and Bert Courtney, for the opening of For Your Tomorrow, The People’s Tribute.
Henry, Alec and Bert were our special guests of honour at the media launch. Their presence brought a profound sense of meaning and personal connection to the occasion.
To open the installation in the company of three men who experienced the events of D-Day was an unforgettable privilege. Their courage, service and sacrifice are at the very heart of why this tribute was created.
We were also deeply honoured to welcome WW2 Normandy veteran Ken Hay MBE to the installation.
Ken, aged 101, served with the 4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment and visited the tribute accompanied by four generations of his family.
Visitors paused to greet him and personally thank him for his service. His presence made an already powerful installation even more poignant.
It was a privilege to welcome Ken and his family and to witness different generations coming together to remember the courage, service and sacrifice of those who fought for our freedom.
Support from the Harley-Davidson Owners Groups
We were delighted to have the support of the Harley-Davidson Owners Groups throughout the installation’s journey.
The riders supported us with the escort when the silhouettes arrived back from Normandy ahead of their display at the Fort.
The sight and sound of the motorcycles travelling alongside the Standing with Giants convoy created a memorable and moving spectacle. Their support ensured that the journey itself became part of the tribute.
We are enormously grateful to every rider who gave their time to support us and helped make our arrival so special.
We are enormously grateful to the Royal Armouries Fort Nelson team for stepping forward, responding so positively and helping thousands of people stand among the figures and remember the lives behind them.
For our tomorrow, they gave their today.