Dday 1944

30th DECEMBER 1945 : REGIMENT DE LA CHAUDIERE
(2nd then 3rd CANADIAN DIVISION) : BACK HOME
/ link to my page #heroes1945

Strength: FIRST US ARMY :156,000 soldiers
Omaha Beach:V Corps1st Infantry Division 29th Infantry Div.
Utah Beach:VII Corps 4th Infantry Div. 82nd Airborne Div. 90th Infantry Div. 101st Airborne Div. UK 2nd Army
Gold Beach: XXX Corps 50th Infantry Div.
Juno Beach: I Corps 3rd Canadian Infantry Div.
Sword Beach: I Corps 3rd Infantry Division 6th Airborne Div.
Allies casualties and losses: 10,000+ casualties; 4,414 confirmed dead 185 M4 Sherman tanks

The amphibious landings were preceded by extensive aerial
and naval bombardment and an airborne assault
the landing of 24,000 American, British, and Canadian
airborne troops shortly after midnight. Allied infantry
and armoured divisions began landing on the coast of
France at 06:30. The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch
of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah,
Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Strong winds blew
the landing craft east of their intended positions,
particularly at Utah and Omaha. The men landed under heavy fire
from gun emplacements overlooking the beaches, and the
shore was mined and covered with obstacles such as
wooden stakes, metal tripods, and barbed wire,
making the work of the beach-clearing teams difficult and dangerous.
Casualties were heaviest at Omaha, with its high cliffs.
At Gold, Juno, and Sword, several fortified towns were cleared
in house-to-house fighting, and two major gun emplacements
at Gold were disabled, using specialised tanks.