Image from BBC website (Getty Image) Post Edited (post event).
As a mark of respect for those brave men from the USA, Canada and Great Britain that lost their lives in Operation Overload (D-Day), a group of people gathered round the village flag pole at 9pm on the 6th June. For full details of what took place see the event poster below.
D-Day begins on the 5th June 1944 in Lincolnshire, as the first American aircraft departed from RAF North Witham (to the South of us, near Colsterworth), amongst others.
Aircraft of the American 9th Troop Carrier Command carried specially trained and elite Pathfinder paratroopers from the US Army’s 101st and 82 Airborne Divisions. At precisely 21.54 on 5 June 1944 the first of 20 Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft took off, skimming the channel at 50ft to fly under enemy radar on their way to Normandy.
THE D-DAY landing casualities.
Link to the Commonwealth War Grave site explaining how many lost their lives on D-Day!
D-DAY GOLD BEACH CASUALTIES
Gold Beach was one of two Normandy landing beaches assigned to the British on D-Day. The British 50th Division led the attack.
British casualties on Gold Beach are estimated at around 1,000 in total with 350 killed.
D-DAY SWORD BEACH CASUALTIES
Sword Beach was the second of the British D-Day landing beaches. The British 3rd Division spearheaded the amphibious assault on Sword.
Estimates suggest the British took 1,300 casualties at Sword with around 680 or so killed.
D-DAY JUNO BEACH CASUALTIES
Juno Beach lay in between Gold and Sword and was assigned to the 3rd Canadian Division.
The Canadians suffered over 1,000 casualties on D-Day with 370 killed.
D-DAY OMAHA BEACH CASUALTIES
“Bloody Omaha” was the D-Day landing beach that saw the highest number of casualties on D-Day.
Omaha was assaulted by the 1st US Infantry Division, and elements of the US Rangers and 29th Infantry Division.
The US suffered 3,600 casualties at Omaha Beach. Around 770 were killed.
D-DAY UTAH BEACH CASUALTIES
Utah Beach was the most westerly of the Normandy beaches attacked on June 6, 1944.
It was assaulted by the 4th US Infantry Division while the 82nd and 101st US Airborne Divisions attacked inland targets.
On Utah Beach, the US Army suffered 590 casualties and around 200 dead.
Remembering all those brave soldiers, sailors and airman who took part in D-Day.
Looking forward to seeing “our “flag being flown.
Some absolutely fantastic programmes being shown on all forms of media commerating D-Day.