D-Day

D-Day was the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overload during World War 2 on Tuesday 6th June 1944, codenamed Operation Neptune and was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of France and the rest of Western Europe.

Planning started in 1943, and the Allies conducted a substantial military deception, codenamed Operation Bodyguard, to mislead the Germans to the date and location of the landings. The weather on the selected day, the 5th June, was not ideal, so the operation was postponed 24 hours. A further postponement would have meant a delay of at least two weeks, as it had to be at low tide with a full moon.

The invasion began shortly after midnight with an extensive aerial and naval bombardment as well as an airborne assault – the landing of 24.000 America, British and Canadian airborne troops. The 50 mile targetted stretch of the Normandy Coast were divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

The Allies failed to achieve any of their major goals beyond the establishment of the beachheads on the first day. However, over the next few weeks, more objectives were met including the capture of Caen on 21st July.

German casualties on D-Day have been estimated at 4,000 to 9,000 men, with Allied casualties at least 10,000, 4,414 of those confirmed dead.