D Day 80th Anniversary
6 June 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of Operation Overlord. Now more commonly known as D Day, this was a pivotal moment in World War II. Allied Forces launched a full scale invasion which began the liberation of north-west Europe from Nazi occupation.
Overlord was the largest operation in British military history. It involved combined airborne bombardment of enemy strongholds in occupied France; night-time landing of army and special forces by parachute and gliders; Naval bombardment of German defences and bases on the Normandy coast and the establishment of landing zones on 5 Normandy beaches, code named Omaha, Utah, Gold, Sword and Juno. Key points such as the town of St. Mere Eglise and the strategically important Pegasus Bridge crossing had to be captured, before Allied Forces could move inland to liberate Cherbourg and Caen.
An invasion force of 7000 ships and landing craft, manned by 195,000 troops from 8 Allied nations took part in the Normandy landings, helped by an advance campaign of mis-information and sabotage by Allied Special forces and the French Resistance.
To mark this historic anniversary, Merton Heritage Service had compiled a collection of resources, from online displays and activities, to archive footage and most importantly, the reminiscences of combatants themselves.
At least 4,414 Allied servicemen died on 6 June 1944, with 5000 wounded. A further 73,000 died in the ensuing Battle of Normandy. with 153,000 wounded. Their courage and sacrifice led to the liberation of Europe and the defeat of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime. We owe them aa huge debt of gratitude an are honoured to preserve their memory.
Online Exhibitions:
Click on the links below to access more pictures and information about D Day.
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D Day: By Those Who Were There Brothers In Arms (Mitcham D Day Veterans)
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D DAY HEROES: Douglas Grady (Regt experiences) John Hassett (Regt experiences) --------
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Word and Pictures:
Follow the links below to find poems, music and archive film about D Day and the Normandy landings.
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The Greatest Combined Operation
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Shores of Normandy (Jim Radford) D Day - The Invasion of Normandy
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Reminiscences:
Click on the links below to access the personal recollections of D Day veterans.
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Sapper Harry Billinge, D Day Veteran
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Frank Devita, Omaha Beach veteran Sherwin Callendar, Omaha Beach
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Useful Websites:
If you would like to know more about D Day and the Normandy campaign, the following links will show you how and where to find more information.
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D Day Explored (Imp. War Museum) The Legacy of Liberation (CWGC) 7 Clever D Day Innovations (IWM)
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10 D Day Facts (British Legion) |
D Day - Exploring Surrey's Past D Day Has Come (British Library)
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Activities:
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D Day Parachute Colouring Sheet
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Share Your Memories:
Please help us to honour the memory of those who sacrificed so much - if you have family stories or memorabilia linked to D Day and the Normandy campaign, we would love to hear from you.
You can email Merton Heritage Service at: local.studies@merton.gov.uk or write to:
Merton Heritage Centre, Merton Civic Centre, London Rd. Morden. SM4 5DX
Related Material:
For more heritage resources, including material on World War II, visit our History Pages & Activities section.