Majority of 300+ large cargo vessels are of the American-built Liberty type, many of them carrying vehicles (mechanized transport) and their attendant troops. Over 1,500 craft and barges are required as ferries between the anchorage position of the larger ships and the shore. After completing their initial task, the LSIs are to head back to the UK to reload.
23 May Because of their slow speed, being old or damaged ships, the section of the Corncob (blockship) fleet which had assembled in the estuary of the Forth set out to be scuttled or ‘planted’ off the French coast.
30 May First of a fleet of coasters, which have been waiting in the 20-mile stretch of the Thames, sail to take their places amongst over 500 ships in an anchorage, extending from Hurst Castle in the west to Bembridge in the east. 362 coasters are to help maintain a continuous flow of supplies to the beaches.
2–3 June From their anchorages in the Clyde or Belfast Lough, the battleships of the bombarding fleet sail.
5 June Landing craft with the longest crossings set out. HMS Scylla, flagship of the Eastern Task Force, leaves Portsmouth Harbour at 13:40 as the first assault forces pass through Spithead Gate. The US HQ ship Ancon leaves Plymouth so as to reach her assigned anchorage at Omaha. Troops joining their Utah-bound LSIs at Torbay anchorage are ferried to their ships in landing craft from Torquay. Troops embarking in Weymouth Bay, where over 80 ships are anchored, and Portland, are similarly transported from Weymouth Quay.
21:30 During the night the biggest invasion force the world has ever seen sails from British ports across the English Channel to France. The two Naval Task Forces total 672 warships for assault convoy escort, minesweeping, shore bombardment, local defence, etc., and 4,126 major and minor landing ships and craft for initial assault and ferry purposes: a total of 4,798. They carry the force of 39 army divisions – 20 American, 14 British, three Canadian and one Free French. To this ship total can be added (A) Home Command for follow-up escort and Channel patrols, plus reserves: 1 RN battleship; 118 destroyers and escorts (108 RN, 4 US, 1 French, 5 Allied); 364 other warships including coastal forces (340 RN, 8 French, 16 Allied). (B) Western Channel Approaches A/S Escort Groups and reserves: 3 RN escort carriers, 55 RN destroyers and escort vessels. (C) 864 Merchant ships (mainly British liners, tankers, tugs, etc) to supply and support the invasion and naval forces. Grand Total, 6,203 vessels. The armada converges on an area south of the lsle of White code-named Area Z but known unofficially as ‘Piccadilly Circus.’
6 June 05:00 First of the bombarding ships open fire. The heaviest bombardment takes place during the first 50 minutes after the sun rises at 05:58. Task is to silence, with saturating fire, not only the 13 main coastal artillery batteries but also the beach defence forces and then, after the assault has gone in, to engage other targets assisted by ground and air spotters. Destroyers assist the larger warships in these tasks.
09:00 German 84th Corps informed of seaborne landings.
09:30 Announcement of Overlord released to the press. British troops one mile inland on Gold. British capture Hermanville. Tactical surprise is total. Ship casualties are less than anticipated. (Naval action occurs early at the eastern extremity at 05:30 when three German torpedo boats on patrol, finding themselves unexpectedly confronted by an enemy fleet, fire and narrowly miss Warspite, Ramillies and the Sword HQ ship Largs but sink the Norwegian destroyer Svenner, 12 miles west of Le Havre, with the loss of one officer and 33 crew. A delayed-action mine sinks US destroyer Corry in the western sector while, just inside the northern limit of the eastern assault area, HMS Wrestler suffers a mine strike and has to be taken in tow.) Casualties to landing and small craft prove higher than allowed for, although 75 per cent of these are attributed to the weather. All told, 59,900 personnel, 8,900 vehicles and 1,900 tons of stores are landed. By D+50 631,000 personnel, 153,000 vehicles and 689,000 tons of stores, plus 68,000 tons of fuel and oil, are delivered to the bridgehead.
Plaque on the wall of Norfolk House, commemorating Eisenhower’s first London HQ.
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Norfolk House, Eisenhower’s first London HQ in St James Square.
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Civilian George Jackson II
‘Along with hundreds of other children I was at the Odeon Cinema at Bury Park, Luton. We were practising for a concert when a man walked on the stage and told us that the Allied Forces had landed in Normandy and it was the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany. We all cheered and clapped even when most of us did not know where Normandy was. I ran home to tell my mother. She said, “Well it looks like your brother did not die in vain.”’
Civilian Mrs J. Charlesworth
‘I was living with my parents in an old pub in Gosport. A lot of noise and commotion woke me early and I went down and opened the door. There were soldiers and army trucks, all making for the harbour. I put my six-month-old daughter in her pram and walked the short distance to the seafront. Little boats were bobbing waiting for the troops to climb aboard. One American boy said he was so afraid. I said to him, “You will be all right, I know it.”’
Nurse Helen Pavlovsky USN
The Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley.
‘It seemed to me that it took at least a week for all the ships to gather just outside our hospital in Southampton Water. The Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley was a very cold and damp monstrosity and certainly not conducive to treating patients. The Seabees [US Navy construction battalion personnel] remodelled the whole thing to make it usable. We could go outside and sit on the waterfront and watch. One day it seemed like the whole area was full of ships and the next morning there was not a single one. We were on duty 24 hours a day but we didn’t know what we were waiting for.’
Civilian P. MoElhlnney
‘I was 12 and old enough to understand what was going on. At breakfast the radio announcer gave out a carefully worded message to the nation saying our troops had made a landing on the beaches of Normandy, and were fighting for them inch by inch. I sensed that I was witnessing history being made. I lived in Portsmouth and the streets were filled with equipment. I will always remember a young soldier stopping me and putting his hand in his pockets. He pulled out all his money and cigarettes, pushed it all into my hands and said, “Here kid, take this. I won’t be coming back from where I’m going.” I still wonder if he ever did.’
WREN Jean Irvine
Serving on the planning staff of Admiral Ramsay.
‘Once I arrived at Southwick House in May, I was sealed inside the gates until after D-Day. I was working in a Nissen hut adjoining the house and my job was to file, type and organize secret documents. We were under terrible pressure. We worked 80 hours a week for more than four months. It was so exciting to know everything that was about to happen. On 5 June we played cricket, but on the night of the invasion itself I stayed up all night. On the morning of D-Day I fell asleep at my desk – there was such a relief of tension.’
Countdown
April 1944
All leave cancelled for troops destined for Overlord. Eighteen Allied air forces begin pre-invasion bombing of France. US 9th Air Force begins bombing targets in the Pas-de-Calais, railway marshalling yards and important bridges. ACM Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory remarks