It was the military operation that turned the tide of World War II.
Now, more than 70 years later, these coloured photographs uncovered in the National Archives of Canada show the daily struggles of the Invasion of Normandy.
Code-named Operation Overlord, the invasion was launched on 6 June, 1944 with the Normandy landings also known as D-Day.
These images show infantry soldiers readying themselves for the shores of Normandy, young men manning tanks and machine guns travelling through the countryside, as well as the devastation left behind after Allied forces bombed towns and villages to retake France from Nazi Germany.
Troops of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division are landing at Juno Beach on the outskirts of Bernieres-sur-Mer on D-Day. 6th June 1944. 14,000 Canadian soldiers were put ashore and 340 lost their live in the battles for the beachhead. France.
British Navy Landing Crafts (LCA-1377) carry United States Army Rangers to a ship in Southern England. 1st June 1944. There are British soldiers in the conning station. Rangers embark and remain consigned five days on board English ships for safety measure. The troops will participate in the invasion of Normandy, France. Weymouth, United Kingdom.
Soldiers of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division are on patrol near Juno Beach where they landed on D-Day on the outskirts of Bernieres-sur-Mer. 6th June 1944. 14,000 Canadians were put ashore and 340 lost their live in the battles for the beachhead. France.
United States Army trucks, jeeps and other vehicles have entered a town in Normandy, France. June 1944. They are part of the invasion troops fighting the German Army. France.
German prisoners of war are on board a Landing Craft Transport (LCT). June 1944. They will be taken to a Liberty Ship in the English Channel during the Allied invasion of Normandy. France.
United States Rangers have boarded a Landing Craft Assault (LCA) in a port in Southern England. 5th June 1944. They are holding a 60mm mortar, a Bazooka, a Garand rifle and a pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes. The ship and will depart for Omaha Beach, Normandy, France. United Kingdom.
A United States truck is entering a Landing Craft Tank (LCT) in a port in Southern England. June 1944. The ship and will depart for Omaha Beach , Normandy, France. United Kingdom.
A truck of the 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army is loaded into the Landing Ship Tank in Southern England. June 1944. The LST forms part of Group 30 of the LST Flotilla. The 1st Division was one of the two divisions that stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy, France on D-Day suffering high casualties. Dorset, United Kingdom.
A group of 15 injured soldiers is on the deck of a boat. June 1944. Six nurses are taking care of them. Coast of Normandy, France.
Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army have boarded the Landing Craft Transport (LCT) named ëChannel Feverà ) in Southern England. 5th June 1944. They are ready for the landing in France. The 1st Division was one of the two divisions that stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy, France on D-Day suffering high casualties. Dorset, United Kingdom.
Soldiers are checking their assignments in a tent near the port. June 1944. The sign at the entrance says: ëCheck Rosters HereÃ. They will leave from here to participate in the invasion of Normandy, France. Weymouth, United Kingdom.
A United States Army ambulance jeep is entering a Landing Craft Transport (LCT) in a port in Southern England. June 1944. The ship and will depart for Normandy, France. United Kingdom.
United States Rangers from E Company, 5th Ranger Battalion on board a landing craft assault vessel (LCA) off the port of Weymouth, Dorset, 5th June 1944. They are holding a 60mm mortar, a Bazooka, a Garand rifle and a pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes. The ship is bound for Omaha Beach, Normandy, France.
Landing Ship Tank (LST-357) loading an ambulance at Portland Harbour, Dorset, before the D-Day landings, 5th June 1944. It will soon depart to participate in the cross channel invasion of Omaha Beach in Normandy.
Troops of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division are landing at Juno Beach on the outskirts of Bernieres-sur-Mer on D-Day. 6th June 1944. 14,000 Canadian soldiers were put ashore and 340 lost their live in the battles for the beachhead. France.
Vessels are waiting for the start of D-Day operations in an English port of embarkation. 4th June 1944. USS LST-314 (center) departed English waters as part of the second wave on 6th June. 9th June, it was torpedoed by a German E-boat and sank off the coast of Normandy. Great Britain.
Three American GIs are playing dart in a camp near their port of embarkation in the south of England. June 1944. The D-Day invasion fleet consisted of 5,000 ships carrying 170,000 assault troops. Great Britain.
An American ambulance, a jeep and other vehicles are driving through the ruins of Saint-Lo. August 1944. The town was almost totally destroyed by 2,000 Allied bombers when they attacked German troops stationed there during Operation Overlord in June.
US troops on the Esplanade at Weymouth, Dorset, on their way to embark on ships bound for Omaha Beach for the D-Day landings in Normandy, June 1944.
Two American soldiers are watching two United States Army jeeps driving through the ruins of the center of Saint-Lo. August 1944. The town was almost totally destroyed by 2,000 Allied bombers when they attacked German troops stationed there during Operation Overlord in June.
Three American soldiers from the 1st Engineer Special Brigade are looking at photos from home. June 1944. Landing Ships Tank (LST) and other vessels are on the beach at Omaha and barrage balloons are up in the air for protection.
A catholic nun and two young girls are standing in front of the ruins of the bombed Eglise Saint-Malo in Valognes, Brittany. July 1944. The town was badly damaged during the Allied drive on Cherbourg in June.
United States Army trucks and jeeps are driving through the ruins of Saint-Lo. July 1944. A group of American soldiers is walking along the street. The town was almost totally destroyed by 2,000 Allied bombers when they attacked German troops stationed there during Operation Overlord in June.
The church Notre Dame has been heavily damaged during the attacks on Saint-Lo. August 1944. The town was almost totally destroyed by 2,000 Allied bombers when they attacked German troops stationed there during Operation Overlord in June.
Soldiers of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division have set up anti-aircraft guns on Juno Beach where they landed on D-Day on the outskirts of Bernieres-sur-Mer. 6th June 1944. German Luftwaffe war planes are still active in the area. 14,000 Canadian soldiers were put ashore and 340 lost their live in the battles for the beachhead.
An Allied plane has crashed during the fighting in Normandy. June 1944. Whatever is left is burning. France.
Soldiers of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division are trying to set up an anti-aircraft gun. June 1944. The emplacement is near Juno Beach. German Luftwaffe war planes are still active in the area. 14,000 Canadian soldiers were put ashore and 340 lost their live in the battles for the beachhead. France.
Boats full of United States troops waiting to leave Weymouth, Southern England, to take part in Operation Overlord in Normandy, June 1944. This location was used as a launching place for Allied troops participating in the invasion of Nazi-occupied France on D-Day, 6th June 1944.
Four Allied soldiers are looking at a map in the center of a town in Normandy. June 1944. Two French policemen are also looking.
Soldiers of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division have set up a mortar on Juno Beach where they landed on D-Day on the outskirts of Bernieres-sur-Mer. 6th June 1944. 14,000 Canadians were put ashore and 340 lost their live in the battles for the beachhead. France.
A street in Cherbourg, which has recently been liberated by the United States Army. July 1944. Two American sailors and a GI are in the street. More than 10,000 German prisoners have been taken. 2,800 American soldiers died in the battle. France.
A catholic priest is performing a religious service in the Normandy American Cemetery of Colleville sur Mer. July 1944. The town is near Omaha Beach where the largest battle of the invasion took place after the landings on 6th June.
A boy and a girl are standing in the market in Cherbourg, which has recently been liberated by the United States Army. July 1944. More than 10,000 German prisoners have been taken. 2,800 American soldiers died in the battle. France.
American troops with German prisoners of war on board a Landing Craft Transport (LCT). June 1944. They will be taken to a Liberty Ship in the English Channel during the Allied invasion of Normandy.
Operation Overlord Normandy, A Canadian soldier is directing traffic in Bernieres-sur-Mer. 6th June 1944. The Canadians landed at Juno Beach which is nearby. 14,000 Canadian soldiers were put ashore and 340 lost their live in the battles for the beachhead. France.
United States Rangers from E Company, 5th Ranger Battalion on board a landing craft assault vessel (LCA) off the port of Weymouth, Dorset, 5th June 1944. They are holding a 60mm mortar, a Bazooka, a Garand rifle and a pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes. The ship is bound for Omaha Beach, Normandy, France.
Reviewed by Your Destination
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August 23, 2017
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I find it disturbing how we are bombarded about the invasion of normandy as a huge battle yet the numbers dont seem to even come close to the battle for stalingrad in which over a million people died...we dont get the same coverage for that battle.....remember 3 out of every 4 germans killed in WW2 were killed by russians.
ReplyDeleteI can't see any British soldiers in that landing craft. I can see British sailors.
ReplyDelete