On the 13th August 1940, 1200 Gibraltar evacuees arrived in Madeira - the 80th anniversary the wartime trip.

A return visit is being planned. It will be by coach to Portimao in the Algarve and then a ferry carrying 1000 passengers from Portimao to Funchal Madeira on 11th of August. It will be an overnight journey arriving in Funchal in the afternoon on the 12th August. 

The following day the 13th will be the anniversary, at 11am in the Parque Santa Catalina in a monument dedicated to the Gibraltarians who died during the war, a wreath of poppies will be laid.

Late the same day at 6pm a thanksgiving mass will be celebrated in the Cathedral of Funchal and a procession with the statue of our Lady of Europe will be carried.

On Friday 14th August in the chapel of the shrine of our Lady of Peace situated in Monte 500 metres from the city, mass will be celebrated. In this chapel the Gibraltar ladies organized a pilgrimage by foot from Funchal praying for peace. In the chapel there is a plaque on the wall commemorating this event.

4-11-2019 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR