Remembering D-Day and the Battle of Normandy

The Parish Council has marked the imminent 80th Anniversary by displaying a number of commemorative plaques around the Parish. In doing so, the Council remembers in gratitude the many who gave their lives and suffered life-changing injuries in an event that eventually led to the liberation of much of North West Europe.

The D-Day landings on this day in 1944 was the largest seaborne invasion in history; along with the associated airborne operations, it marked the beginning of the liberation of France and western Europe.

The following words about D-Day are taken from the Royal British Legion website -

Unprecedented coordination between Allied nations, and the intensive planning of engineers, meteorologists, logisticians and countless more, led to a force from 13 countries approaching Normandy in a 5000-vessel armada.

In the early hours of D-Day, 24,000 paratroopers and glider-borne troops landed behind German lines to provide tactical support. Massive naval and aerial bombardments attempted to supress the German defences and weaponry. Then a ground force of more than 130,000 troops came ashore on five beaches across a 50-mile stretch of Normandy coast, with the first waves often facing intact defences. By the end of D-Day there had been 10,000 allied casualties. Yet this was only the beginning. The ensuing Battle of Normandy was to last into August and cost tens of thousands of lives as it defeated and repulsed the occupying German forces eastwards. It was a decisive success for the Allies and paved the way for the liberation of much of north west Europe.

For more information about D-Day visit the 'Historic England' website via the following link http://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/features/commemorating-d-day/