75Th Anniversary of D-Day 1944-2019
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75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY 1944-2019 OFFICIAL BROCHURE Front cover: © IWM (H 38244) Troops storm ashore from LCAs (Landing Craft Assault) during Exercise ‘Fabius’, a major invasion rehearsal on the British coast, 5 May 1944. D-DAY 75 BUCKINGHAM PALACE A MESSAGE FROM HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN I am very pleased that commemorative events to mark the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings are taking place in Portsmouth and in Normandy. On 6th June 1944, the largest amphibious assault in history was launched, leading to the end of the Second World War and the liberation of Europe. The complex mission required unprecedented cooperation between the armed forces of different nations, who gathered in Britain in huge numbers before making the journey across the Channel. Sailors, soldiers and airmen from 14 nations displayed immense bravery, ingenuity and determination, and the successful operation was only made possible because of allied efforts elsewhere in Europe, and beyond. At this time of reflection for veterans of the conflict and their families, I am sure that these commemorations will provide an opportunity to honour those who made extraordinary sacrifices to secure freedom in Europe. They must never be forgotten. ELIZABETH R. 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY 1944-2019 3 D-DAY 75 4 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY 1944-2019 D-DAY 75 FOREWORD BY THE PRIME MINISTER The D-Day landings remain an unparalleled moment in our history. They commanded a degree of organisation and international co-operation that has rarely been seen before or since – and as a triumph of planning and logistics they ultimately helped bring an end to the Second World War. This year’s commemoration, as we mark 75 years since D-Day, will be particularly special. I will join fellow leaders from around the world to pay tribute at events in Portsmouth and Normandy. At the heart of those events will be hundreds of veterans: those who fought together from allied nations to secure the freedom we cherish today. It is thanks to their courage and that of our other allies that today Europe is free and at peace. It is thanks to their ingenuity and resolve that today we have the freedom to live our lives the way we wish. We will never forget all that they gave – or the sacrifices of the fallen. The solidarity and determination so clearly in evidence on D-Day continues to be a lesson to us all to stand together and uphold the values that we share. 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY 1944-2019 5 D-DAY 75 X X X X X X Felixstowe Br. 7 BR. BOMB COM. X X SHAEF OTHER BUILD-UP FORCES X X X X X Br. 49 X X X X Headquarters: sea X X X X X USSTAF 1 - Army Group (1st) Uxbridge EIGHTH 2 - Army (US Third, Can. First X X AEAF 8 - Corps 90 X X Divisions: Cardi Br. 51 X X X X X X X X 18 - Infantry 10 - Armoured NINTH BR. Flushing X SECOND 1 - Airborne X X X X X Breskens 21 X X X X Ramsgate X X BR. SECOND London Ostend X X X Bruges X X X X X X X X X X X X X X BR. Dover Dunkirk FIRST 9 LXXXIII BR. XXX Southampton BR. I X X X X X X X Calais X X X V X X Con. 3 X X X X 2 X X Portsmouth IX TAC Br. Sh oreham Br. 50 Hastings X X Poole X X X X Isle of Boulogne X X X 1 Wight LXXXII e S e L p) G rc Portland rc o -u ce J e F X X r Fo Lille c llow r Fo Fo X X Fo o ( X X X X h rce O F Fo rce U FIFTEENTH X X Dartmouth Forc e B X X SALMUTH (Follow-up ) X X X X X LXVII Cambrai G lide r Abbeville X X Ro ute Dieppe Amiens St. X X Quentin 8 2n d Ab Cherbourg X X 1 X X 0 n 2 1st Div Guernsey Ab n D X X X iv X X X X X X LXXXI 709U T 243 A CHANNEL H X X OM Rouen AH Le Harve ISLANDS X X 91 A X X Compiègne G OLD JUNO 116 GandcaX mpX - X X 352 SWORD Carentan les-Bains X X 711 Soissons Jersey Bayeux 716 El beuf X X X Louviers St . XLo X X Caen Vernon LXXXIV X X XLVII 21 X X Évreux Pontoise 12 SS Ch at Falaise Thie Vire X X X X X X X OB WEST B SS St . Malo Avranches X X Argentan Dreux X ROMMEL Mortain X RUNDSTEDT X Paris X X X X X X X Domfront X XIV St . Hilaire du Harcou ët Melun THIRD Alençon Chartres SPERRLE Ro Fougeres X X Mayenne X X EtLEamGENDps Fontainebleau 5(-) Lehr X X X Loudeac FORTRESS VII PR CHT Rennes Vitré X X X X Pi thiviers Sens SEVENTH WIDELY DISPERSED X X Ch âteaudun ARMOURED FORMATION 2 Laval DOLLMANN Le Mans Orleans orient X X X NORTHWESTERN FRANCE, 1944 XXV Ch âteau Vannes Gontier X X ALLIED INVASION FORCE AND GERMAN DISPOSITIONS, 6 JUNE 1944 Angers 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 St . SEVE Nazaire NT SCALE IN MILES X X H X X FIRST X X Nantes 1739 6 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY 1944-2019 D-DAY 75 ALLIED FORCES IN BRITAIN © The D-Day Story Image provided courtesy of The D-Day Story museum Infographic by Studio MB 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY 1944-2019 7 D-DAY 75 D-DAY AND THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY On D-Day, 6 June 1944, Allied Forces launched a combined naval, air and land assault on Nazi-occupied France. Codenamed Operation ‘Overlord’, the Allied landings on the Normandy beaches marked the start of a long and costly campaign to liberate north- west Europe from Nazi occupation. Early on 6 June, Allied airborne forces parachuted into drop zones across northern France. Ground troops then landed across five assault beaches - Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. By the end of the day, the Allies had established a foothold along the coast and could begin their advance into France. The defeat of the Nazis was Morgan and his team of British, from Normandy. To build up acknowledged as the western American and Canadian resources for the invasion, Allies’ principal war aim as officers submitted plans for the British factories increased early as December 1941. invasion in July 1943. Although production and in the first Opening a second front would limited planning for an invasion half of 1944 approximately relieve pressure on the Soviet of Europe began soon after 9 million tonnes of supplies Union in the east, and the the evacuation of Dunkirk in and equipment crossed the liberation of France would 1940, detailed preparations Atlantic from North America to weaken the enemy’s overall for Operation Overlord did Britain. A substantial Canadian position in western Europe. not begin until after the force had been building up in The invasion, if successful, Tehran Conference in late Britain since December 1939 would drain enemy resources 1943. A command team, led and over 1.4 million American and block access to key military by American General Dwight Servicemen arrived during sites. Securing a bridgehead D. Eisenhower was formed in 1943 and 1944 to take part in in Normandy would allow the December 1943 to plan the the landings. Allies to establish a viable naval, air and land operations. presence in northern Europe Deception campaigns were for the first time since 1940. developed to draw Nazi Lieutenant General Frederick attention – and strength – away 1 1. © IWM (Art.IWM ART LD 5816) Barnet Freedman’s painting of a panoramic view of a Normandy beach scattered with soldiers and equipment. In the background is the artificial harbour known as Mulberry B. 2. © IWM (EA 2946): US troops take cover during a training exercise in the UK with live ammunition, 1944. 3. © IWM (TR 1662): British paratroopers sitting in the fuselage of an aircraft while awaiting their order to jump. 8 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY 1944-2019 D-DAY 75 2 3 D-Day required unprecedented 7,000 naval vessels, including that the main invasion force cooperation between battleships, destroyers, would still land elsewhere. international Armed Forces. minesweepers, escorts and The threat of this larger, assault craft took part in second invasion kept enemy The Supreme Headquarters Operation ‘Neptune’, the reinforcements tied down away Allied Expeditionary Force naval component of Overlord. from Normandy. Defence also (SHAEF) was an international Naval forces were responsible suffered from the complex coalition and although the for escorting and landing over and often confused command Allies were united, the military 132,000 ground troops on the structure of the German leadership responsible for beaches. They also carried Army, as well as the constant Overlord had to overcome out bombardments on enemy interference of Adolf Hitler political, cultural and personal coastal defences before and in military matters. However, tensions. By 1944, over 2 during the landings, and the Allies faced a number of million troops from several provided artillery support for setbacks both on 6 June and countries were in Britain the invading troops. in the months that followed. preparing for the invasion. On D-Day, the Americans The invasion was conducted in Germany tried to defend came close to defeat on two main phases: an airborne the northern coast of France Omaha partially because assault and amphibious with a series of fortifications the preliminary air and naval landings.