D-Day foreshadowed the end of Hitler's dream of Nazi domination.
Geoff pushed the limits of an ageing computer [and himself] over several days to make a 3D model to commemorate the event, from which he rendered this diorama:
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Drive-Time (Via Michelin): Embry to Caen: 3hrs 19 mins (176 miles)
Address: Utah Beach D-Day Museum 50480 SAINTE-MARIE-DU-MONT
Web: Utah Beach D-Day Museum
Opening Hours: October 1 to May 31: 10:00am to 6:00pm
June 1 to September 30: 9:30am to 7:00pm
26 December to January 5th: 10:00am to 6:00pm
Last ticket sales one hour before closing
Closed in January.
Admission (2014 Tarifs): Adults : 8.00 € Children under 15 : 3.50 € Group rate (adults) : 6.00 €
WWII veterans : Free
Guided tour of Museum and Utah Beach : 12.00 €
The Normandy landings, codenamed Operation Neptune, were the landing operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy, in Operation Overlord, during World War II.
The landings commenced on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 (D-Day), beginning at 6:30am British Double Summer Time.
In planning, as for most Allied operations, the term D-Day was used for the day of the actual landing, which was dependent on final approval.
The landings were conducted in two phases:
1. an airborne assault landing of 24,000 British, American and Canadian airborne troops shortly after midnight
2. an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armoured divisions on the coast of France starting at 6:30am. Surprise was achieved thanks to inclement weather and a comprehensive deception plan implemented in the months before the landings, codenamed Operation Bodyguard, to distract German attention from the possibility of landings in Normandy. A key success was to convince Adolf Hitler that the landings would actually occur to the north at the Pas-de-Calais. There were also decoy operations taking place simultaneously with the landings under the codenames Operation Glimmer and Operation Taxable to distract the German forces from the real landing areas.
Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces was General Dwight D. Eisenhower while overall command of ground forces (21st Army Group) was given to General Bernard Montgomery.
The operation, planned by a team under Lieutenant-General Frederick Morgan, was the largest amphibious invasion in world history and was executed by land, sea and air elements under direct Anglo-American command with over 160,000 soldiers landing on 6 June 1944:
73,000 Americans, 61,715 British and 21,400 Canadians.
195,700 Allied naval and merchant navy personnel in over 5,000 ships were also involved.
The invasion required the transport of soldiers and materiel from the United Kingdom by troop-laden aircraft and ships, the assault landings, air support, naval interdiction of the English Channel and naval gunfire support.
The landings took place along a 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
War is tragic. War is WRONG! Mankind should know better!
Most soldiers have no say in whether they fight or not, no matter which "side" they're on. Sometimes I wonder if it is forgotten that German soldiers had mothers too: Benath each tree lies a German son!
August 200:
Geoff's step-father, Rear Admiral JF McKenzie CB, CBE, RNZN (died 28 March 2013) examines the plaque commemorating HMS Hawkins, on which he served in June 1944, providing bombardment support from 9.4 miles off Utah Beach. (She was later torpedoed by a Japanese submarine, with heavy loss of life.)
~ Whilst you COULD drive from Embry to the Landing Beaches and back in one day, we don't recommend it. Ideally, you would spread the experience over 2-3 nights (staying in different hotels/chateaux) and also visit Cherbourg, where there is a WONDERFUL Submarine and Maritime Museum, plus Aquarium, all rolled into one venue :
Submarine Museum : Cité de la Mer Museum
All colour Photos by Geoff McIntosh
