75th Anniversary of Operation Overlord - D-DAY

[MisterCairo]

A great article from Mark Steyn:

https://www.steynonline.com/9436/june-6th-1944

 

[GHT]

This is Southwick House, the house became important during World War II. In 1940 the estate owners allowed the Royal Navy to use the house to accommodate overnight pupils of the Royal Navy School of Navigation, HMS Dryad, a land based building used by The Royal Navy, which was based in Portsmouth Naval Dockyard. In 1941, after heavy bombing of the dockyard, Southwick House was requisitioned and became the new home of HMS Dryad. In 1943, with the planning for D-Day already underway, the house was chosen to be the location of the advance command post of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force. Because of this, HMS Dryad was moved out of the house onto further land requisitioned from the estate. In 1944, in the months leading up to D-Day, the house became the headquarters of the main allied commanders, including Allied Supreme Commander General Eisenhower, Naval Commander-in-Chief Admiral Ramsay and Army Commander-in-Chief General Montgomery.

The large wall maps that were used in planning D-Day are still in place in the house, with the various markers showing the positions of the involved forces at the moment the first landing commenced.

For those unfamiliar with Britspeak. we pronounce Southwick as Suthick, don't ask, I can't explain.
Southwick revival is held every year, but always a week after D-Day so as not to clash with all the events taking place at Normandie. Here's a few of the vehicles that were there today.

 

[GHT]

There was a great turnout today, and with all the main events held the previous week it meant that there was no competition, the crowds just kept coming.

And a few more from Normandie:

 

[Warden]

On a related note, for the D-Day 75 events I was asked to create a soundscape using some of the material in my collection.

Having curated this I thought it would be good to use some of this material for our Harry & Edna on the Wireless radio show. Apart from the beginning when I am explaining the format of the show, the rest of the programme is made up from original news broadcasts,

Hope you enjoy, to listen click on the link below

https://www.mixcloud.com/harryandedna/harry-edna-on-the-wireless-d-day-historical-broadcasts/

 

[newsman]

My wife and i had the honor of being there for the 60th. When i was about 15 i visited the region when my dad was active duty US Navy.

It is without a doubt one of those places where history reaches from the past to touch the now.

If you get a chance to visit. Please go.

 

[GHT]

Today, being the D-Day anniversary, has been the quietest ever on our social calendar, such is covid 19 lockdown. I've just finished watching the 1962 film, The Longest Day, sent and received a good number of text messages from friends and re-enactors and that's about it. This evening my wife and I will enjoy a Chinese Takeaway, chill a bottle of Sauvignon blanc, and reflect on all who fell so that I can enjoy life in a relatively free country.
Sorry about my mood, I'm finding house arrest is causing cabin fever, the highlight of my day will be to enjoy our takeaway. But there will be other years, and The Lounge always cheers me up.

 

[Haversack]

My Wife and I watched our copy of The Longest Day last night as well. Ryan's mosaic technique of layered multiple small individual stories to tell a much bigger story translated well from the book to the screen. Ham and Jam.

 

[MisterCairo]

It would be great to head over, but our year is too full. We hope to get to the UK in 2020 (boy, that sounds weird) and perhaps we can get to Normandy for a visit.

We are not in fact getting over to the UK this year.

Funny that...

 

[Tiki Tom]

80th D-Day celebration is kicking off! Events all week!
Today was a parachute jump from WWII era aircraft.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/02/80th-anniversary-d-day-normandy-00161170

I literally remember sitting on my couch for the 50th anniversary and bemoaning the fact that (at that point) I had seen and done very little in life. In a sense, that 50th anniversary inspired me to see the world and get involved. May this weeks 80th anniversary inspire the younger generation to travel widely and aspire to great things.

Our thoughts and thanks go out to all who were there EIGHTY YEARS AGO.

 

[Tiki Tom]

 

[Turnip]

The boat class I served my conscription on.

 

[Peacoat]

The boat class I served my conscription on.

How many crew members and how far offshore would it normally go? I imagine it was miserable in rough seas?

 

[Turnip]

The crew has been 17 heads in peace time +6 in defence case.

Completely tanked up with Diesel, fresh water, oil…the boat was equipped for ten sea days at maximum Beaufort 6 and a maximum wave height of 3m.

As rolling in high waves has always been the worst option, we usually turned the nose into the sea then and surged the „storm“. Riding down 2m-3m high waves felt like sitting in a fast elevator and reaching the trough of a wave with that flat nose felt like crashing against a wall and the entire boat trembled quite massively.

Diesel consumption has been about 10 tons a sea day, depending on weather, if I remember correctly. „Top“ speed has been 11 knots so the maximum daily range was 264 nautical miles in water, not over ground, depending on direction and speed of current.

 

[Tiki Tom]

My brother is a volunteer DJ at a low power FM radio station in a small town in Northern California. He asked me for a 20 minute list of WWII songs for a D-Day show. very fun.

 

[Tiki Tom]

The crew has been 17 heads in peace time +6 in defence case.

Completely tanked up with Diesel, fresh water, oil…the boat was equipped for ten sea days at maximum Beaufort 6 and a maximum wave height of 3m.

As rolling in high waves has always been the worst option, we usually turned the nose into the sea then and surged the „storm“. Riding down 2m-3m high waves felt like sitting in a fast elevator and reaching the trough of a wave with that flat nose felt like crashing against a wall and the entire boat trembled quite massively.

Diesel consumption has been about 10 tons a sea day, depending on weather, if I remember correctly. „Top“ speed has been 11 knots so the maximum daily range was 264 nautical miles in water, not over ground, depending on direction and speed of current.

I read somewhere that a lot of the D-Day soldiers had become very sea sick during the crossing and were still sea sick when they hit the beaches. It’s hard to imagine anything more miserable.

 

[Turnip]

I think so too and even some of our crew never really overcame that.
On windy days we heard our top dog through the speakers „New man to take over the helm“…as soon as we passed our home lighthouse…

As I served as a fireman part of my duties has been observing and setting motor speeds, hydraulic systems… in the control room right beneath the bridge and in „heavy“ sea I had to do double shifts there, replacing the second fireman who laid flat sea sick.

But most often it has been the tank-and truck-crews or some supportive infantry to feed the fishes.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Photos from the 80th Anniversar:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/06/world/gallery/d-day-80th-anniversary/index.html

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

80th D-Day celebration is kicking off! Events all week!
Today was a parachute jump from WWII era aircraft.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/02/80th-anniversary-d-day-normandy-00161170

I literally remember sitting on my couch for the 50th anniversary and bemoaning the fact that (at that point) I had seen and done very little in life. In a sense, that 50th anniversary inspired me to see the world and get involved. May this weeks 80th anniversary inspire the younger generation to travel widely and aspire to great things.

Our thoughts and thanks go out to all who were there EIGHTY YEARS AGO.

I left Cambridge degree in hand and joined the British Parachute Regiment instead of sitting
solicitors for a Queen's Bench silk. Ever Jack the lad at school, me arse kicked square sure and
I wonder amazed now at what the splendid Second War generation accomplished.
''Golden lads and girls all must, as chimney sweeps come to dust.'' Amen and thanks.