Utah 06.30; Omaha 06.30; Gold 07.25; Juno 07.45; Sword 07.25

Wed 5 Jun, 16:47

Lest we forget. It wasn't just the Bells ringing at 06.30h, the five landings were staggered over nearly two hours, the last landing assault being at 07.55h for the tide to enable landing craft clear a reef at Sword on the East flank.

Unrealistic to ask, but if we had relays of ringers, loud peels at each time to reminds us each time they landed ... if only. 

West to East the beaches: Utah - USA. Omaha - USA. Gold - British/Commonwealth and Free Forces. Juno - Canada and Free Forces. Sword - British/Commonwealth and Free Forces.

50,000 troops were landing from the US Forces on that day. 76,000 from UK, Canada and numerous Dominion and Empire units and Free Forces. Three Quarters of the naval fleet and Landing Craft crew were Royal Navy and thusly crewed and many from the (vastly hitting-above-its-weight of national population, and all volunteers as were all combat Army personnel) Royal Canadian Navy, and nearly two thirds of aerial forces from RAF, with RCAF, RAAF and numerous personnel from the Occupied Nations Free Forces. Growing up in Canada in the 50s and 60s from a moderate sized Ontario industrial city whose Regiments suffered disproportionate casualties and played an outsize role in "The 77 Days of Normandy" and was given personal names in memory of two best friends from my Father's Regiment who never came back, feel it's important to put the record straight.

Due to the Tides spreading in from the West progressing over time flowing to the East, the landing times had to vary to enable craft to be lifted by the tide over reefs and vicious Wehrmacht obstacles, and as high up onto a beach as possible to reduce a long run carrying hugely heavy equipment packs to reach scant cover over gun-enfiladed exposed sand beaches. So whilst the first two American landings achieved some tactical surprise at first light, the later landings were into areas covered by alerted defences.

I've listened at length to Veterans of WWI and WWII at the end of their days, who were still astonished to still be here to speak to someone, who had no knowledge of war in his own time. Thank you. Now I have children of military age. Could I have coped? Can't believe could. Unlike, arguably , the lost generation of the WWI veterans, the immediate forbears of (the greatest?) those forbears had to contend the murk of their time. Did our immediate parents and grandparents have a clearer Moral Imperative?

Lest we forget, and still remember to say, never again. But, then, we have Ukraine. And an imperative Carbon War against our own folly and greed. Was all wasted?