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June 6 1944
The D-Day landings, code name “Operation Overlord”, involved assaults on 5 beaches between the Cherbourg Peninsular and the river Orne, north of Caen.Utha on the West flank followed by Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
Well, yes, but purely by accident. The landing craft were launched from more than 13 miles out and 6ft waves and high winds meant some troops fell from the mother ships and drowned. Others slipped as they clambered into the landing craft and broke arms and legs.
Because of the weather and the confusion, the first wave, commanded by Brig Gen Teddy Roosevelt Jr (son of the US President), ended up more than a mile south of where they were supposed to land. In fact, this part of the beach was comparatively undefended so the whole operation was hastily switched to this sector. Within 3 hours the bridgehead was secured and of the 23250 men who had landed only 210 were killed, missing or wounded.
UTAH
The US 4th Infantry Division landed here at 06.30 on June 6 with orders to break out and split up, with much of the division driving north towards Cherbourg Port. Did it work out?
OMAHA
Remember Saving Private Ryan? This is the beach were it all happened. This was a complete disaster from the start. The landing craft were dropped 11 miles off shore in poor sea conditions, and as these got in close, they became target practice for the heavily fortified beach.
Thirty DD (Duplex Drive) tanks were launched 4 miles out, with only 3 making the beach, the rest are at the bottom of the channel along with the crews. At one stage the battle was nearly called off by General Omar Bradley, but after hours or fierce fighting, they managed to break through the wire.
GOLD
Gold was the code name for the centre beach of the five designated landing areas of the Normandy Invasion. The beach was more than 5 miles (8 kilometers) wide and included the coastal towns of La Riviere and Le Hamel. On the western end of the beach was the small port of Arromanches, and slightly farther west of that port was the town of Longues-sur-Mer.
The British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division of the 2nd Army under Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey was to land at H-Hour+1 (0730), seize Arromanches and drive inland to capture the road junction at Bayeux. Its additional objectives were to make contact with the US forces to the west at Omaha Beach and the Canadians to their east at Juno Beach. In addition to the 50th, the 47th Royal Marine Commandos were to land on sector Item and to attack south of Arromanches and Longues and take Port-en-Bessin from the rear.
A week later De Gaulle and his Free French forces arrived in Bayeux.
JUNO
The Canadians landed here at 07.45 supported by the tanks of the British Hussars and a bombing force of 2 cruisers and 11 destroyers. Their objective was to capture the coastal towns and establish a line on the railway track. Despite a lot of opposition from entrenched German machine-gun positions, the Canadian got off the beach quickly and penetrated seven miles inland. Courseulles has new museum overlooking a large Millitary Cross of Lorraine.
SWORD
The landings here involved the British Division which had last section in Dunkirk. Because of the tide they had to land an hour after the invasion so the Germans would know they were coming. Their job was to sweep inland and halt any German counter-attack, taking the city off Caen.
They got off the beaches quickly but there was stiff resistance inland and, by the end of the day the King's Shropshire Light Infantry who had been ordered to be the first in Caen, were still four miles short. The Germans held the city for more that days and by then most of it was in ruins.
For more information about escorted tours to the D-Day landing sites in Normamdy and the surrounding area, visit the Explorer Travel (ABTA C1953) battlefields website http://www.battlefieldexplorer.com
Tour the battlefield’s of Europe with war tours - free guide to battlefield tours of the first world war and second world war. featuring maps and details of the trenches and memorials in France and Belgium and Holland. Places to visit include Vimmy, the Somme, Verdun, Ypres salient -also known as ieper and wipers - Thiepval, Flanders field museum, details of accommodation, tourist information and how to get around with easy to use maps. .Great war places to see and visit. Links to other sites. battle of the bulge maps and guides, d-day beaches, arnhem Holland, a bridge too far. bastogne, la roche, ardennes, and December 1944 battle museum. Follow d-day beaches, Utah, Omaha, gold, Juno and sword. Includes details of the Sherwood foresters - Notts. and Derby Regiment from WW1, tour the battlefields of France & Belgium battlefields experience, war-tours and the-Somme
