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I have seen there are often posts mentioning the anniversary of D-day when it comes around and thought this might be of interest to people on here.
Youtube channel that has covered WW1 and WW2 in realtime weekly episodes is having a special 24hr coverage of D-Day (starting at 11pm tonight). Literally doing 24 hours of documentary to track the landings as they occur. They will be releasing it in smaller chunks later on (because I ain't watching for 24 hours straight!) but thought it would be of interest to some history buffs on here.
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D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 08:19 - Jun 6 with 1421 views
Thank you. I’ll be taking a look at it being interested in this
The more you read of the operation, the more amazing it is. To achieve what they did was phenomenal.
There are plenty of books on it. James Holland’s and Anthony Beevor’s are two of the best.
As I’ve mentioned on here before, my father in law was on an ML navigation boat leading landing craft into Gold Beach on day one. He refused to talk about it, sadly. I do have what’s left of the white ensign off his boat though - a prized possession.
[Post edited 6 Jun 2023 18:09]
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D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 08:49 - Jun 6 with 1388 views
D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 08:19 - Jun 6 by Churchman
Thank you. I’ll be taking a look at it being interested in this
The more you read of the operation, the more amazing it is. To achieve what they did was phenomenal.
There are plenty of books on it. James Holland’s and Anthony Beevor’s are two of the best.
As I’ve mentioned on here before, my father in law was on an ML navigation boat leading landing craft into Gold Beach on day one. He refused to talk about it, sadly. I do have what’s left of the white ensign off his boat though - a prized possession.
[Post edited 6 Jun 2023 18:09]
Just done the first 4 hours (x1.25 speed coming in handy). There is lots of padding between updates on the airborne landings/drops as the boats are still en route, but they are using it to go into detail about planning, organisation and command structures (really interesting to contrast Allied/German command. It really does highlight just how mindboggling complex the entire thing is though
Tiny Spoiler, but the operation involved 250+ minesweepers just to clear paths for the naval forces. The current RN has just 9 minesweepers (and only 70 ships total now). The logistics of deploying that many ships at any time in a co-ordinated operation with no computers, GPS, night vision, etc... is remarkable, then you factor in there were literally thousands of vessels following in their wake.
Can't imagine what you FiL saw. The fact that Allied command assumed they would take up to 30% losses during a successful operation when planning gives a tiny glimmer as to how bad they thought it would be. Wading on to a beach directly in the line of fire, weighed down by water, knowing that when the doors opened, you'd be lined up like dominoes for an emplaced MG position. Dread to think what your FiL saw when the ramp dropped.
[Post edited 6 Jun 2023 9:02]
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D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 09:06 - Jun 6 with 1357 views
D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 08:49 - Jun 6 by Kievthegreat
Just done the first 4 hours (x1.25 speed coming in handy). There is lots of padding between updates on the airborne landings/drops as the boats are still en route, but they are using it to go into detail about planning, organisation and command structures (really interesting to contrast Allied/German command. It really does highlight just how mindboggling complex the entire thing is though
Tiny Spoiler, but the operation involved 250+ minesweepers just to clear paths for the naval forces. The current RN has just 9 minesweepers (and only 70 ships total now). The logistics of deploying that many ships at any time in a co-ordinated operation with no computers, GPS, night vision, etc... is remarkable, then you factor in there were literally thousands of vessels following in their wake.
Can't imagine what you FiL saw. The fact that Allied command assumed they would take up to 30% losses during a successful operation when planning gives a tiny glimmer as to how bad they thought it would be. Wading on to a beach directly in the line of fire, weighed down by water, knowing that when the doors opened, you'd be lined up like dominoes for an emplaced MG position. Dread to think what your FiL saw when the ramp dropped.
[Post edited 6 Jun 2023 9:02]
Many thanks for the heads up, as although I've visited that area of Normandy, I only realised this year that my uncle was involved.
[Post edited 6 Jun 2023 9:07]
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D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 09:39 - Jun 6 with 1318 views
The film, The Longest Day, made in 1962, is a reasonable account of the D-day landings. At three hours long it's not to strung out. Remember booking tickets in the local flea pit in Haverhill to watch it.
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D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 10:08 - Jun 6 with 1289 views
Someone suggested this morning that there weren't just Americans involved, that can't be right can it?
No idea when I began here, was a very long time ago. Previously known as Spirit_of_81. Love cheese, hate the colour of it, this is why it requires some blue in it.
D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 09:39 - Jun 6 by ronnyd
The film, The Longest Day, made in 1962, is a reasonable account of the D-day landings. At three hours long it's not to strung out. Remember booking tickets in the local flea pit in Haverhill to watch it.
It always amuses me that the actor Richard Todd wanted to play himself in the film. He was in the Ox and Bucks who took and held Pegasus Bridge. But he was given the part of Major RJ Howard who commanded it.
You are right. It is a reasonable account.
0
D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 10:44 - Jun 6 with 1244 views
D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 10:09 - Jun 6 by Churchman
It always amuses me that the actor Richard Todd wanted to play himself in the film. He was in the Ox and Bucks who took and held Pegasus Bridge. But he was given the part of Major RJ Howard who commanded it.
You are right. It is a reasonable account.
I’m not sure that film gave John Wayne enough credit - for his efforts to win the war single handed.
Interesting snippet - gold finger and James Bond had minor roles.
D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 10:09 - Jun 6 by Churchman
It always amuses me that the actor Richard Todd wanted to play himself in the film. He was in the Ox and Bucks who took and held Pegasus Bridge. But he was given the part of Major RJ Howard who commanded it.
D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 10:09 - Jun 6 by Churchman
It always amuses me that the actor Richard Todd wanted to play himself in the film. He was in the Ox and Bucks who took and held Pegasus Bridge. But he was given the part of Major RJ Howard who commanded it.
D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 09:39 - Jun 6 by ronnyd
The film, The Longest Day, made in 1962, is a reasonable account of the D-day landings. At three hours long it's not to strung out. Remember booking tickets in the local flea pit in Haverhill to watch it.
Cornelius Ryan's book, on which the film is based, is a very good piece of oral history.
D-Day Live Coverage (kind of) on 08:49 - Jun 6 by Kievthegreat
Just done the first 4 hours (x1.25 speed coming in handy). There is lots of padding between updates on the airborne landings/drops as the boats are still en route, but they are using it to go into detail about planning, organisation and command structures (really interesting to contrast Allied/German command. It really does highlight just how mindboggling complex the entire thing is though
Tiny Spoiler, but the operation involved 250+ minesweepers just to clear paths for the naval forces. The current RN has just 9 minesweepers (and only 70 ships total now). The logistics of deploying that many ships at any time in a co-ordinated operation with no computers, GPS, night vision, etc... is remarkable, then you factor in there were literally thousands of vessels following in their wake.
Can't imagine what you FiL saw. The fact that Allied command assumed they would take up to 30% losses during a successful operation when planning gives a tiny glimmer as to how bad they thought it would be. Wading on to a beach directly in the line of fire, weighed down by water, knowing that when the doors opened, you'd be lined up like dominoes for an emplaced MG position. Dread to think what your FiL saw when the ramp dropped.
[Post edited 6 Jun 2023 9:02]
I wrote that really badly (amended). The FiL was a navy Lieutenant on a navigation boat leading the landing craft in, so he didn’t have to endure that ghastly moment when the ramp dropped.
Mind you, he had to go back and forth and while his boat was armed with a bofors/oerlikons, it was made of plywood. Eek! Same as the boats used in the St Nazaire raid.
Your point about loss prediction is very valid. Amphibious operations are hideously difficult and the fact that DDay incurred light losses for the time is a testament to the planning and coordination that went into it. That included the work of Bletchley Park, phantom army, ghost invasion by RAF bombers, the Resistance, weather forecasters. In fact just about everyone.
The mine clearance was a feat in itself as was the work of the navy and coastal command to keep uboats and S boats at bay. The wrecking of infrastructure, particularly rail and fuel, by US 8th and 9th airforces and the RAF was crucial as was the blanket air cover which totally neutralised any Luftwaffe activity bar Priller and his Wingman’s one pass portrayed in the film.
There were few failures really. The attack on Omaha had to be made. American suspicion of Hobart’s ‘funnies’ didn’t help their cause. These included AVREs, flail, crocodile flame throwing, mortar, bridging tanks - you name it. Floating tanks (DD Sherman’s were dropped off too far from the beach, mostly. The use of heavy bombers to flatten beach defences didn’t work too well and some of the parachute drops were badly scattered. But all in all, for day one, what an achievement.
Obviously, losses in subsequent weeks were horrendous, but that takes nothing away from the landing itself
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