It is right that we remember he great deeds performed that day, but also we should think of the years of struggle and sacrifice that made the Normandy landings possible. I am thinking particularly of the Battle of Britain and the Battle of the Atlantic, but also the actions in the Channel in the preceding months, the Combined Operations Pilotage Parties, dangerous low level reconnaissance sorties performed by Spitfires (
et al) flying unarmed and alone over occupied territory, and the Bomber Command/USAAF interdiction of the German transport system.
Nor should the maritime aspects be forgotten.
D-Day 70th anniversary - RN website
The Royal Navy provided the majority of the vessels involved in the assault, a huge part of the escort, a large number of ships for shore bombardment, two X Craft for marking beaches, parties for control of the beaches, divers for dealing with mines, Royal Marine units, and Fleet Air Arm aircraft.
A landing in Europe was, of course, only possible after the U boat Wolfpacks and German heavy naval units had been defeated and the Atlantic supply line secured.
From the webpage:
At 0527 hours on 6 June 1944, HMS Belfast was one of the first ships to open fire on German positions along the Normandy coast. The cruiser was the flagship of Bombarding Force 'E', providing naval gunfire support to the troops landing at Gold and Juno beaches.
My (late) Grandfather was a senior rate Gunner aboard Belfast at the time, so I will be thinking of him at his action station, working hard to lob 6" shells at German positions. By chance I have recently been printing out old family pictures sent to me by my cousin, including a few of my Grandfather. There are pictures of him aboard Belfast during Arctic and Atlantic convoys, and previously I have pictures from HMS
Hood, his ship until he was drafted not long before her loss. How did men cope with finding out that hundreds of former shipmates had been killed?
How much sacrifice was required to get to the point where the Normandy landings were feasible?