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A name scrawled on the walls of the ancient Battle Abbey by a soldier who died on Christmas Day 1944; and a poem written by young soldier stationed there to a local girl weeks before he perished in Normandy.

• New research tells the stories of individuals who were stationed in Battle Abbey and took part in the Normandy landings
• 'D Day Connections' features across Battle Abbey and runs until Sunday 30 June

These are just two of the stories of human heroism and sacrifice from a new English Heritage exhibition about Battle Abbey's connections with the D Day landings. This year, 2024, is the 80th anniversary of the D Day landings.

'D Day Connections' tells the stories of a handful of the thousands of men who passed through Battle Abbey, site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings, when it was used by the War Office during the Second World War. The site was part of a major south coast operation to train troops for the Battle of Normandy. The invasion, which began with the D Day landings on 6 June 1944, turned the tide of the Second World War in the Allies' favour.

While it was ultimately successful in liberating towns and cities in Western Europe from Nazi control, the Battle of Normandy campaign cost the Allied forces an estimated 45,000 lives.

Now a group of Battle Abbey's volunteers, determined to put a human face to the statistics, have spent months tracing clues, such as graffiti still visible on the walls, and liaising with regiments and military associations, to gain a glimpse into the lives of the men who spent time at the site before fighting in the Normandy campaign.

Click here for the full press release