Jack Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s15/hmvf/HardingVC.jpg[/img] 1944: D-Day marks start of Europe invasion Thousands of Allied troops have begun landing on the beaches of Normandy in northern France at the start of a major offensive against the Germans. Thousands of paratroops and glider-borne troops have also been dropped behind enemy lines and the Allies are already said to have penetrated several miles inland. The landings were preceded by air attacks along the French coast. About 1,300 RAF planes were involved in the first wave of assaults then 1,000 American bombers took up the attack dropping bombs on targets in northern France. Dawn revealed the astonishing sight of serried ranks of ships heaving over the horizon and passing in wave after wave, packed to capacity with soldiers and weaponry The Prime Minister Winston Churchill has told MPs that Operation Neptune - the codename for the Normandy landings - is proceeding "in a thoroughly satisfactory manner". He said the landing of airborne troops was "on a scale far larger than anything there has been so far in the world" and had taken place with extremely little loss. The assault began shortly after midnight under the command of General Bernard Montgomery. Timing of the Normandy landings was crucial. They were originally scheduled to take place in May - then postponed until June and put off again at the last minute for 24 hours by bad weather. Upwards of 4,000 ships and several thousand smaller craft crossed the Channel to the northern coast of France. Enemy reports say the landings took place between the port of Le Havre and the naval base at Cherbourg. King George VI broadcast a message last night warning of the "supreme test" the Allies faced and he called on the nation to pray for the liberation of Europe. The Allied naval commander, Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, said the landings had taken the Germans completely by surprise. There were no enemy reconnaissance planes out and the opposition of coastal batteries was much less than expected. He added: "There was a slight loss in ships but so slight that it did not affect putting armies ashore. "We have got all the first wave of men through the defended beach zone and set for the land battle." A statement broadcast from Berlin at midday said the German troops were "nowhere taken by surprise". It said many parachute units were wiped out on landing or taken prisoner. Hits were also scored on battleships and on landing craft from the "guns of the Atlantic Wall" - the German defensive positions. President Franklin D Roosevelt told a news conference the invasion did not mean the war was over. He said: "You don't just walk to Berlin, and the sooner this country realises that the better." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 I don't have any appointments as yet, so can't Drive to work, but I've been out today and turned a few heads, but it's rather cold up here, so now the Jeep is just parked on the driveway. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Great picture... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 I've been out in the jeep again! I had to go to work this afternoon, so turned up in the jeep. Turned several heads, and the kids in the area loved it parked up with the HMVF poster in the window! A second picture would have been good, me in a suit in the jeep. An interesting combination. So I managed 18 D-Day miles today. What did everyone else manage today? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 I spent my day driving to a care home in north London from Southend. Down the A13 and round the Nth Circular Rd. From there I had to drive to work through Palmers Green, Wood Green, Haringay, Manor House, Stoke Newington, Newington Green, Dalston, Shoreditch and Whitechapel to Wapping. I was IN a war zone. Enough for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 6, 2007 Author Share Posted June 6, 2007 Great work Steve and Andy - if you got people to stop and stare and read then I think we can say mission accomplished as it work well for me too. Lets keep doing it and build it year on year and thanks to Bodge for the poster! Great support chaps and again well done you! Jack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Hardyferret Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Well Jerry along with Pete, Bernie, Bob have just completed 110 miles today Traveling from St Mere Eglise back home to Dorse by Jeep, vomit rocket and SII l/weight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markheliops Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 I finished night duty last night - so I took the Ward out for a spin today - Done about 20 miles - enough in a 8.2 litre petrol engine giving 1.5 MPG. Had my poster on the Windscreen so couldn't put the windscreen down - small price to pay. Parked up at a local greasy-spoon for a bacon-buttie and cuppa - chatted to some truckers about the truck and why I had it out midweek. All in all - glad I did something - however small. :angel: Markheliops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sylvester Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Hi Jack, Well, just a thought really, been thinking about this all day, My Dad was on D-Day +1, so all those years ago, he was probably sitting on some tank landing craft waiting to go over! He is unfortunately no longer with us but I researched most of his War years and he went ashore on Sword beach but then followed through all the way to Germany. I am Proud of my Father I salute all of those guys who had to go through that, they were afterall... Kids 17 -20 odd, Thanks for bringing these dates to memory for everyone Fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 7, 2007 Author Share Posted June 7, 2007 Hi Jack, Well, just a thought really, been thinking about this all day, My Dad was on D-Day +1, so all those years ago, he was probably sitting on some tank landing craft waiting to go over! He is unfortunately no longer with us but I researched most of his War years and he went ashore on Sword beach but then followed through all the way to Germany. I am Proud of my Father I salute all of those guys who had to go through that, they were afterall... Kids 17 -20 odd, Thanks for bringing these dates to memory for everyone Fred Wonderful story Fred and thank you for sharing it with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Nice one., Fred! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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