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Thursday 6 June 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day when Allied forces mounted the largest naval, air and land invasion the world has ever witnessed. Codenamed Operation Overlord, it marked the beginning of a long and costly campaign to liberate Europe from German occupation. The events on 6 June 1944 saw around 4,000 ships and landing craft set down about 132,500 troops on five Normandy beaches. The Allied forces consisted primarily of American, British, and Canadian troops, but also included Australians, Belgians, Czechs, Dutch, French, Greeks, New Zealanders, Norwegians, Rhodesians, and Poles.
By the end of the day the Allies had gained a firm foothold along the French coast and were ready to begin their advance inland. Despite their success, some 4,000 Allied troops were killed by German soldiers defending the beaches. D-Day did not bring an end to the war in Europe but it did signify, from that moment forward, that victory in Europe was in sight.
Troops of 9th Cana dian Infantry Brig ade disembarking LCI(L)s (Landing with bicycles from Craft Infantry La rg e) on to Nan White beac Bernieres-sur-Mer, h, Juno area, at shortly before mi dday, 6 June 1944 . © IW M (A 23938)
Troops from 50 LSI(L)s th Divi , Gold sion co area, 6 ming as June 19 44. © I hore from W M (B 5 261)
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