Site of the planning of the D-DAY Landings, 6th June 1944

PLANNING D-DAY OPERATION NEPTUNE A NARROW ESCAPE This was the original site of St Codenamed Operation Neptune and often On the evening of Sunday 16 July Paul’s School in 1939. Soon after referred to as D-Day, it was the largest 1944, over a month after D-Day, a World War Two began, the school seaborne invasion in history. The operation German V1 flying bomb landed on was evacuated to Easthampstead began the liberation of German-occupied NW St Mary’s church next door to the Park, near Crowthorne in Europe, and laid the foundations of the Allied school, completely destroying it. Berkshire. In its buildings victory on the Western Front. Church member William Jackman, became the headquarters of the in the church only shortly before it Home Forces, while General This map, from volume six of Winston was hit, recorded later: De Gaulle’s Free French were Churchill’s The Second World War, shows headquartered nearby in Olympia. With thanks to St Pauls’ School for this image the Normandy beaches on which the D-Day ‘With… the congregation landings took place. The British landed at departed. The churchwarden It later became the headquarters Sword and Gold, the Canadians at Juno and myself remained to clean of the 21st Army Group under beaches (all near Arromanches), while the the communion vessels. The [air the command of General Bernard Americans headed to Omaha and Utah. With thanks to the Churchill Family for permission to reproduce raid] sirens had already sounded Montgomery. An old pupil of the and we felt strongly impelled to school, it is said he took great leave the task we were doing and pleasure in occupying the High return home, locking the silver Master’s office. vessels away partially clean. Within fifteen minutes the tragedy It was in the boardroom that happened, reducing the church the Allied commanders, led by BACK TO SCHOOL to ruins. In the mercy of God General Dwight Eisenhower and our lives had been wonderfully Montgomery planned the invasion In , the school buildings preserved. The silver vessels and liberation of German-occupied were returned to St Paul’s. The boys had to suffered no harm, being locked With thanks to St Pauls’ School for this image do a bit of tidying up, including removing the Europe, including the D-Day Around the table at invasion Headquarters, , 1 . away in a strong iron safe (which landings. King George VI and the Chiefs of Allied Liberation Forces meeting London. L-R, front row: maps from the board room. These treasured was undamaged), and they are Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder [Deputy Supreme Commander], Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, General Eisenhower [Supreme Commander], General Sir Bernard possessions are now displayed in the school’s still in use in the new church.’ visited them here to approve the Montgomery [Bristish Forces], L-R, back row: Lietennant General Montgomery Room at its present location in Bradley [ U.S. Forces], Admiral Ramsay [Royal Navy], Air Chief plans on the 15th May 1944. Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh Mallory [Air C-in-C], Lieutenant General Barnes across the river from Hammersmith. You can see the ‘new’ church on Operation Overlord started on the Beddll Smith [Chief of Staff]. the far side of St Paul’s Hotel. beaches of Normandy, on the 6th Image care of Peter Bird June. With thanks to St Paul’s School for this image With thanks to Heather Armitage, Peter Makower, Roy Baker, The Friends of St Paul’s Gardens and St Paul’s School for making this possible.