6th June 1944 - Operation Overlord.

[bluethrunthru]

Was listening earlier to something I'd not heard before... We sent over paratroopers to set up dummies, with recordings of gunfire, to take German troops away from the real landing sites

From memory watching the Longest Movie - sorry the Longest Day - weren't they called Rupert or Rupert's?

 

[normskih]

While you are watching “Saving Private Ryan” it is worth remembering that the American effort on D day was less than 10% of the men and materiel in the landing force.
Eisenhauer felt that the high losses would not be acceptable to the American public. US forces of course came in once the bridgehead had been established and swept through europe.

I suppose we can say “well you know what the Yanks are like” the truth is, it must have been absolutely terrifying, or however you want to describe it, for all the troops taking part on that day or any day in the war.

 

[tregyblue61]

OPERATION NEPTUNE

The assault began shortly after midnight on June 6, 1944, with an air bombardment consisting of more than 2,200 allied bombers attacking targets along the coast and inland. Clouds hindered the air strikes, however, and the coastal bombing at Omaha Beach was particularly ineffective. More than 24,000 American, British, and Canadian airborne assault troops and 1,200 aircraft followed the air bombardment. At 1:30 a.m. the 101st (U.S.) Airborne Division began landing behind Utah beach to secure the exits from the beach, and the 82d (U.S.) Airborne Division began landing at 2:30 a.m. to secure bridges on the right flank of the beachhead. Thick cloud cover also hindered the air insertion, and many of the units missed their landing zones, often by miles. On the coastline, the second phase began at 5:30 a.m. as forces from six Allied divisions and numerous small units began landing on five beaches. The Allies landed more than 160,000 troops at Normandy, of which 73,000 were American. There were also 83,115 British and Canadian forces who landed on Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches.

By the end of the first day, none of the assault forces had secured their first-day objectives. Allied casualties on June 6 have been estimated at 10,000 killed, wounded, and missing in action: 6,603 Americans, 2,700 British, and 946 Canadians.

And:

French, Aussies, Kiwis, Czech/Slovaks, Poles, Dutch, Belgians, Norwegian, Greeks and South Africans.


Thank you for your sacrifice.

I never forget.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

My Dad was in the far East, he didn’t return home to England after the war until February 1947.

My father in law fought Rommel in the desert then went to Italy, Monte Casino, etc. VE Day came and he got shipped to Palestine. He said that was the worst experience of the lot.
He too wasn’t home until 47. Must have been gutting after what they went through up to 1945.

 

[INDEEDY DEEDY]

My Father went ashore on Juno on D Day. He never spoke about it. I was told this by my Mother after he died. He was just like so many who were there.

 

[normskih]

OPERATION NEPTUNE

The assault began shortly after midnight on June 6, 1944, with an air bombardment consisting of more than 2,200 allied bombers attacking targets along the coast and inland. Clouds hindered the air strikes, however, and the coastal bombing at Omaha Beach was particularly ineffective. More than 24,000 American, British, and Canadian airborne assault troops and 1,200 aircraft followed the air bombardment. At 1:30 a.m. the 101st (U.S.) Airborne Division began landing behind Utah beach to secure the exits from the beach, and the 82d (U.S.) Airborne Division began landing at 2:30 a.m. to secure bridges on the right flank of the beachhead. Thick cloud cover also hindered the air insertion, and many of the units missed their landing zones, often by miles. On the coastline, the second phase began at 5:30 a.m. as forces from six Allied divisions and numerous small units began landing on five beaches. The Allies landed more than 160,000 troops at Normandy, of which 73,000 were American. There were also 83,115 British and Canadian forces who landed on Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches.

By the end of the first day, none of the assault forces had secured their first-day objectives. Allied casualties on June 6 have been estimated at 10,000 killed, wounded, and missing in action: 6,603 Americans, 2,700 British, and 946 Canadians.

And:

French, Aussies, Kiwis, Czech/Slovaks, Poles Dutch, Belgians, Norwegian, Greeks and South Africans.


Thank you for your sacrifice.

I never forget.

Thanks for documenting. When the date is the 6th of June, I also end the date by saying D-Day.

 

[idahoblues]

While you are watching “Saving Private Ryan” it is worth remembering that the American effort on D day was less than 10% of the men and materiel in the landing force.
Eisenhauer felt that the high losses would not be acceptable to the American public. US forces of course came in once the bridgehead had been established and swept through europe.

I don't think that 10% figure is accurate

 

[horlock_was_super]

My grandad didn’t make it off the beach according to the records.

MIA.

He did, he disappeared once the push was in full swing.

10 years later a heavily pregnant woman turned up at my maternal Grans house asking for Frank. My uncle, as was the norm in those days was named after his dad. Thinking he’d done something wrong as usual she called him to the door. Upon seeing him the poor lass passed out.
My Gran, for reasons known only to her moved to Greengate in Salford with 5 kids ( my mum being one of them) from Bolton and they survived the Manchester Blitz.

Anyway I digress, the pregnant lass was my grandads wife. Yes wife!

The daft bastard managed to get back home under the radar somehow then started a new family! IN BOLTON!!!

He got done for bigamy did time and my Gran divorced him when quickie divorces became the law. It really broke her heart as she was a devout Roman Catholic and I don’t think she ever got over it.

Sorry for the long winded story it’s just that I am 58 now, when I started work in 1981 most of the older guys were round about 58 and had all served and were involved at D-Day. I loved hearing them talk about it, though the real horrors were never spoken about, everyone of them was a hero in my eyes and still are and always will be. I went to every single one of their funerals.

My point is I suppose my own blood should have told me all this. I never knew him. It doesn’t matter the heroes that told me have stayed with me all my life. His loss.

My Gran was brilliant.

 

[Kinkybyname]

Typical Mail-reading, gammon-fodder, imperialistic, white male macho, war-mongering, anti-trans, misogynistic bluster ;)

 

[crazyg]

I've just raised a (large) glass of Calvados to those who never returned from those beaches.
Heroes all.