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DDay. The Allies launched the largest amphibious assault in history. The risk was enormous, the reward the liberation of Europe. The Americans landed on Utah and Omaha beaches, the Brish and Canadians along with people from so many other nations attacked Gold, Sword and Juno.
By the end of 6th June 1944, beach heads had been established on all five assault points. Horrendous losses were to follow, but from the day the Allies successfully landed, Germany’s fate was sealed.
I have a bit of personal interest. My father in law was a sub-lieutenant in a Motor Launch (ML) leading landing craft into Gold beach. He never talked about it beyond his refusing my offer to take him to a Normandy Veterans Association anniversary get together. He just said no thanks, it could never be a celebration for him. He saw too much.
We have the white ensign off his boat, torn, shot through, blackened, smelling of cordite and smoke. We found his medals the other week. Aside from the 39-45 medal, Victory medal, Burma Star and Atlantic Star is a bar or clasp with France Germany written on it. It represents a second Atlantic Star for his service on DDay and the following couple of month.
The medals are in their original wrappers in the little box they were sent with the ribbons, unmade up, underneath. He had clearly opened the box, closed it again and put it in a drawer out of sight for all those decades.
That impossibly brave generation are now nearly passed. The subsequent generations, including mine, owe them more than words can express.
[Post edited 7 Jun 23:46]
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This day 82 years ago on 16:36 - Jun 6 with 773 views
"The front on the landing craft dropped down as they hit the beach, the soldier in front to his right took a bullet straight into his head, the soldier to his left took a bullet, as he was about to run down and jump into the water/beach a wave moved the boat to the left and a couple of soldiers on his right lost their footing and stumbled in front of him and both were hit by bullets. All four died"
He always said; I wasn't a hero, it was just luck. I knew all four, that could easily be me in their graves. Its was just where we stood in that landing craft, where a wave rocked the boat left. It was pure luck, I wasn't a better soldier than them. But I was determined to survive and make it home from then to make sure they didn't die in vain.
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This day 82 years ago on 16:43 - Jun 6 with 754 views
This day 82 years ago on 16:36 - Jun 6 by BloomBlue
As a old friend was once told me.
"The front on the landing craft dropped down as they hit the beach, the soldier in front to his right took a bullet straight into his head, the soldier to his left took a bullet, as he was about to run down and jump into the water/beach a wave moved the boat to the left and a couple of soldiers on his right lost their footing and stumbled in front of him and both were hit by bullets. All four died"
He always said; I wasn't a hero, it was just luck. I knew all four, that could easily be me in their graves. Its was just where we stood in that landing craft, where a wave rocked the boat left. It was pure luck, I wasn't a better soldier than them. But I was determined to survive and make it home from then to make sure they didn't die in vain.
Wow, talk about the law of chance. I can’t imagine what your thoughts are at that time. I know for many that sea sickness was so bad their only thought was to get off ASAP.
1
This day 82 years ago on 17:14 - Jun 6 with 699 views
I've met six British D-Day veterans (three since passed) over the last couple of years, including one who landed on Omaha Beach alongside the Americans. Incredible men.
This day 82 years ago on 16:36 - Jun 6 by BloomBlue
As a old friend was once told me.
"The front on the landing craft dropped down as they hit the beach, the soldier in front to his right took a bullet straight into his head, the soldier to his left took a bullet, as he was about to run down and jump into the water/beach a wave moved the boat to the left and a couple of soldiers on his right lost their footing and stumbled in front of him and both were hit by bullets. All four died"
He always said; I wasn't a hero, it was just luck. I knew all four, that could easily be me in their graves. Its was just where we stood in that landing craft, where a wave rocked the boat left. It was pure luck, I wasn't a better soldier than them. But I was determined to survive and make it home from then to make sure they didn't die in vain.
He was a hero btw. They all were.
I re-watched the Jeremy Clarkson programme about the VC the other day. Well worth seeing if you’ve not done so.
At the end of the astonishing stories he tells he finishes by saying (paraphrased - apologies) ‘when David Beckham scored a penalty, he was called a hero………enough said’.
In other words that word is perhaps over used.
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This day 82 years ago on 17:46 - Jun 6 with 647 views
This day 82 years ago on 17:24 - Jun 6 by Churchman
He was a hero btw. They all were.
I re-watched the Jeremy Clarkson programme about the VC the other day. Well worth seeing if you’ve not done so.
At the end of the astonishing stories he tells he finishes by saying (paraphrased - apologies) ‘when David Beckham scored a penalty, he was called a hero………enough said’.
This day 82 years ago on 17:24 - Jun 6 by Churchman
He was a hero btw. They all were.
I re-watched the Jeremy Clarkson programme about the VC the other day. Well worth seeing if you’ve not done so.
At the end of the astonishing stories he tells he finishes by saying (paraphrased - apologies) ‘when David Beckham scored a penalty, he was called a hero………enough said’.
In other words that word is perhaps over used.
Not seen the Clarkson program Churchman, I'll look it up
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This day 82 years ago on 20:48 - Jun 6 with 512 views
I took my family on a Camping trip 2 years ago to Normandy, staying in our campervan at Camping Le Cormoran North of Saint Marie Eglise. A lot of the old defences are still there on the coastline, plus tanks remain in place dotted throughout too, if they were left they became 'part of French state property'. Having been as a child, I was impressed just how much more they memorialize the D-Day landings in Normandy. The Utah beach landing museum was impressive with aritfacts from both sides and a section dedicated to Band of Brothers too. Many stories read there, including how the smokescreens were deployed to hide the ships that bombarded the defences. When a French plane deploying these was shot down one of the smokescreen dissipated and the USS Corry DD-463 was sunk by a German Battery. Saint Marie Eglise has many establishments celebrating the paratroopers. A very immersive experience going to Normandy now.
Al Murray and James Hollands walking tours are excellent too. They just published the full series.
I took my family on a Camping trip 2 years ago to Normandy, staying in our campervan at Camping Le Cormoran North of Saint Marie Eglise. A lot of the old defences are still there on the coastline, plus tanks remain in place dotted throughout too, if they were left they became 'part of French state property'. Having been as a child, I was impressed just how much more they memorialize the D-Day landings in Normandy. The Utah beach landing museum was impressive with aritfacts from both sides and a section dedicated to Band of Brothers too. Many stories read there, including how the smokescreens were deployed to hide the ships that bombarded the defences. When a French plane deploying these was shot down one of the smokescreen dissipated and the USS Corry DD-463 was sunk by a German Battery. Saint Marie Eglise has many establishments celebrating the paratroopers. A very immersive experience going to Normandy now.
Al Murray and James Hollands walking tours are excellent too. They just published the full series.
Thank you for posting that. Murray and Holland’s podcasts are excellent and James Holland’s book Normandy 44 and Brothers in Arms are some of the best. Highly recommend.
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This day 82 years ago on 15:54 - Jun 7 with 255 views
This day 82 years ago on 20:48 - Jun 6 by Churchman
He also did one on the St Nazaire Raid which is astonishing and a last one on PQ17 (Arctic Convoys).
All three are very well worth finding.
The St Nazaire one is a great piece of tv. Incredible plan, carried out by incredible men, normal, softly spoken gentle men, who went knowing it was maybe 50-50 at best. The timing of the blast, when those captured thought it had failed, then thinking they were about to be shot afterwards, my god they were brave. Hitler issuing afterwards the instruction that all captured Commandos were to be immediately shot showed the power of that raid.
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This day 82 years ago on 16:40 - Jun 7 with 229 views
This day 82 years ago on 14:28 - Jun 7 by Churchman
Thank you for posting that. Murray and Holland’s podcasts are excellent and James Holland’s book Normandy 44 and Brothers in Arms are some of the best. Highly recommend.
I agree with all of this. If anyone is really interested in the British narrative of D Day, I highly recommend Sword Beach by Stephen Fisher, it's a superb read and really informative. His talk at We Have Ways Festival a couple of years ago is the best on the subject that I've heard.
It's 106 miles to Portman Road, we've got a full tank of gas, half a round of Port Salut, it's dark... and we're wearing blue tinted sunglasses.
This day 82 years ago on 15:54 - Jun 7 by Bluespeed225
The St Nazaire one is a great piece of tv. Incredible plan, carried out by incredible men, normal, softly spoken gentle men, who went knowing it was maybe 50-50 at best. The timing of the blast, when those captured thought it had failed, then thinking they were about to be shot afterwards, my god they were brave. Hitler issuing afterwards the instruction that all captured Commandos were to be immediately shot showed the power of that raid.
50/50 at very much best. Sounded and looked like the odds were a lot worse than that.
I like the bloke who I think had set the timer who was captured and made to walk past Campbeltown. He had no idea if the thing was going to blow up while he was walking next to it and had to bury any sort of nervousness and act normally. Jeez, a real change of trousers moment for normal people but not these superhuman guys.
Attached is an American two part article on the raid. I’ve chosen this as it’s an outsiders description of it so is in theory more objective.
This day 82 years ago on 16:50 - Jun 7 by Churchman
50/50 at very much best. Sounded and looked like the odds were a lot worse than that.
I like the bloke who I think had set the timer who was captured and made to walk past Campbeltown. He had no idea if the thing was going to blow up while he was walking next to it and had to bury any sort of nervousness and act normally. Jeez, a real change of trousers moment for normal people but not these superhuman guys.
Attached is an American two part article on the raid. I’ve chosen this as it’s an outsiders description of it so is in theory more objective.
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