Talented knitter Gill Wright is helping to make an “amazing” woollen version of the floating harbour that was key to the success of the D-Day landings,
The recreation of the Mulberry Harbour in miniature will be added as an extra section to The Longest Yarn, a spectacular 80-metre long series of panels at an exhibition in Llandudno in North Wales.
The display, named in a nod to the famous D-Day film, The Longest Day, was created to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the massive air, sea and land invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944.
Gill, from Ashton in Makerfield, between St Helen’s and Wigan, had already knitted a panel for the original display, telling the story of the glider-borne assault on Pegasus Bridge, a key target for the Allied forces.
It is one of the 80 metre-long 3D panels making up The Longest Yarn and Llandudno’s Holy Trinity Church is one of just a few places in the UK to host it with plans to take to America next year.
The exhibition that runs from Wednesday, October 2, until Sunday, October 27, recreates scenes from the historic military campaign, all knitted and crocheted by an army of 1,500 volunteers from across the world.
The display, that’s even longer than the Bayeux Tapestry, will be the centrepiece of a series of events taking place in Llandudno to commemorate D-Day and the 80 panels signify the 80 days it took the Allies to fight their way across France to Paris.
Gill, a member of three knit and natter groups, became involved with the North Wales project, co-ordinated by Gini Rivers of the Llandudno-based Friends of Mostyn Street and Friends chair Claire Mcelroy
They were looking for volunteers to help create a stand-alone one metre panel celebrating the launch of the prototype Mulberry Harbour, designed by Bangor civil engineer Iorys Hughes, in the Conwy Estuary and built by a workforce of 1,000 men.
Also involved in making the new panel depicting the launching of the prototype
concrete pontoon at Conwy Morfa are Gwenan Williams and Creadigol Criccieth Creative, a team of around 25 women from Criccieth in Gwynedd,
Gill said: “I have always loved knitting and crochet and became involved with The Longest Yarn through Facebook and I and my friend, Diane, became involved in completing one of the original panels.
“We had less than three months to do it – it shows the soldiers boarding a glider for the attack on Pegasus Bridge – but we managed it and we’ve been to see the finished article on display in Carentan.
“Then I saw on Facebook that Gini was asking for knitters and crocheters to help out with this project in North Wales and I volunteered and I have ended up making the Mulberry Harbour and the huge bow wave it sent up when it was launched.”
Claire Mcelroy, from Friends of Mostyn Street, said: “The artificial Mulberry Harbours, developed in great secrecy in Conwy, were a pivotal element in the success of the largest military naval, air and land operation ever which eventually liberated Nazi-occupied north-west Europe.”
The artificial harbour was set up at Gold Beach near Arromanches on the Normandy coast and was used for 10 months after D-Day, landing over two million men, four million tons of supplies and half a million vehicles.
Gill added: “The work for The Longest Yard was very intense. The figures all had to be articulated with harden wire through drinking straws and the arms, boots, belt, hat, sock tops buttons and face stitched on separately.
“All the figures had to be less than three inches tall to be in perspective to the height of the glider
“It took six hours to make one man and then they had to be dabbed with Sharpies to simulate camo jackets as these were UK troops.
“The glider was limited to the width of the panel and had to be sideways, making the grass and concrete runway more awkward to knit.
“Now I’m putting the finishing touches to the panel the Criccieth ladies have done, adding the Mulberry Harbour and the great bow wave it sent up and my husband, Rob, and I are looking forward to coming over to Llandudno to see the exhibition there.”
Bringing the free exhibition to Llandudno has been made possible thanks to £20,000 in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Creu Conwy Town Team, Llandudno Town Council and Llandudno Hospitality Association.
Among the aims is to attract more visitors to the resort during the autumn to provide a boost to local businesses.
The exhibition will be free to access with donations to local causes and appropriately the annual Poppy Appeal.
