This week’s blog is dedicated to the thousands of young men who set aside their fear and homesickness to finally make a foot-hold onto European soil. After five years of terror by a madman, on June 6, 1944, the allies finally initiated the long awaited invasion D-Day. This was the first day most of the people of Europe truly celebrated since Hitler began his horrible rein over most of a continent and into Africa. The day immortalized in such movies as Saving Private Ryan and The Longest Day. D-Day which, hopefully, 90% of the baby boomer generation immediately call to mind heroic acts, and the horrible slaughter of thousands of young men on beaches far-away from their farms, schools and businesses in Australia, New Zealand, many European countries led by Americans, British, and Canadians.

Strategic plans for the invasion were deliberated for almost 18 months to better assure victory for the Allies. We know that Eisenhower, Bradley, Montgomery, Leigh-Mallory and other generals and admirals were the brains for the invasion. However, I had never thought of how much tedious work was done so the most specific aspects of the five beaches of Normandy would be known. This was done to give the men coming ashore a better chance of survival. In her book The Sea Before Us, Sarah Sundin recounts the detailed work of British Wrens in painstakingly assembling vital information. As always, her much researched novel provides a different, mostly unknown look at the War in a compelling manner.  The book also details some of the drills and preparations of thousands of soldiers that were taking place in Great Britain.

At 6:30 in the morning of June 6^th, the assault began, and many died in floundering boats before reaching shore.

For over a year, young men who had never seen action trained in England. Many were part of the 29^th Division that

would be in the first landing vessels because the generals knew they would be enthusiastic and also naïve as to the reality of battle. All were soaking wet from the waves splattering their crafts during the long night crossing the channel in secrecy. Hundreds were so sea-sick they thought they were dying without a shot being fired.  At 6:30 in the morning of June 6^th, the assault began, and many died in floundering boats before reaching shore. Many more died as the landing craft ramps lowered and they were hit by German artillery. The young men who made it to shore expected to be able to take cover in craters created by allied bombing just for this purpose. Because pilots feared hitting the approaching landing craft, they failed to drop the bombs on the beach. Those who made it through the water faced wide-open space with no protection.

The hamlet of Bedford, Virginia (3,200 people in 1942) has the unfortunate distinction of contributing the most young men from one town in the first minutes and hours on Omaha Beach. 19 of their beloved boys were killed on that day. Forming Company A, later part 29^th Division, they had enlisted together, trained together and so many of them died together on the beaches of Normandy. For this reason, the National D-Day Memorial is located near Bedford at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. ( Source )

More about the sacrifice of Bedford can be seen on this CBS broadcast.

An amazing visual representation of what the number killed on the beaches that day would have looked like was masterminded by U.K. sand artists Jamie Wardley and Andy Moss in what is known as “The Fallen 9,000”.  The sand art was created in September of 2013. It is well worth a visit to the site to be awed by the art and, in a small way, grasp more fully the reality of D-Day.

Often we forget that D-Day was a joint effort of all of the Allies. Because the movies we see are from an American perspective, and Dwight D. Eisenhower was the Supreme Allied Commander, but credit must be given to others that were vitally important. “Of the 1,213 warships involved, 200 were American and 892 were British; of the 4,126 landing craft involved, 805 were American and 3,261 were British.Indeed, 31% of all U.S. supplies used during D-Day came directly from Britain, while two-thirds of the 12,000 aircraft involved were also British, as were two-thirds of those that landed in occupied France. Despite the initial slaughter at Omaha, casualties across the American and British beaches were much the same. This is not to belittle the U.S. effort but rather to add context and a wider, 360-degree view. History needs to teach as well as entertain.” Source

I hope some of what I wrote today is interesting to you. Lots more detailed info than I will normally post, but this is such an important day. The more we know, the more we can share with younger generations. Teens are so busy, but if you know any and have an opportunity to do so, share a special D-Day event, even an ice cream with conversation to help them know what happened 74 years ago.