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Explore D Day Morning using our Interactive Painting.
Combined Operations - A Normandy Beachhead
 Learn
about D-Day by clicking on the embedded numbers in our monochrome version
of the beach landing scene opposite, or just scroll down this page and let the
story unfold.
It's an easy to follow introduction to Combined Operations
raids and major landings directly onto unimproved landing
beaches against entrenched enemy defensive positions.
Setting the Scene
The painting depicts a landing on the eastern
flank of Sword beach between 7.30 am and
8.30 am (5.30 am to 6.30 am local time), an hour or so after the first assault
troops ducked and dived, as they fought their way up the Normandy beaches on D-Day morning.
The German defences are still holding out. The beach and
its approaches are extremely hazardous, as the lines of machine gun bullets
striking the water, the huge explosion farther out to sea, the stretcher bearers
going about their life-saving work and the blood stained water lapping the shore,
 all testify. It was no place to tarry, unless your name was Bill Millin, who,
against HQ orders, piped Lord Lovat and his No 4 Commandos off their landing
craft and then proceeded to march up and down the beach to the tune of "The Road
to the Isles." The Germans could easily have shot Millin dead, but they had no
wish to kill someone who had clearly lost his mind!
There were five landing beaches, Sword being the most easterly,
with Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah stretching out to the west for a distance of
around 50 miles (80k). On D-Day alone, around 6000 vessels crossed the Channel
and around 156,000 men, with their supplies and equipment, were transported to
Normandy. Around 800 RAF and USAF bombers dropped their payloads on selected
targets inland of the beach areas and 24,000 paratroops were dropped behind
enemy lines. All the while, Allied fighters patrolled the skies in support of
the invading force. Illustrated map
below.
The
Action Explained.
Click on the numbers embedded in the painting for an explanation of the key events and
actions or just scroll down the page and let the story unfold. [Print
Friendly Version of Text.
Print Friendly Copy of Numbered Painting].
This was the largest Combined Operation in history, which is
unlikely to be surpassed or repeated because of changes in the conduct of war
since WW2. The objective was to land assault troops, with their supplies and
equipment, in pre-planned designated places, at the right time and in sufficient
numbers to overwhelm the enemy. All other activity on land, sea and in the air
was in support of this.
Because of the landing craft chosen to appear in
this painting, the honour of representing the hundreds of thousands of Allied
troops, which landed on the Normandy beaches, has fallen to the men of the 2nd
East Yorkshire Regiment /
8th Infantry Brigade /
3rd
British Division and the Royal Marines.
The assault infantry are moving off the landing
beach supported by a Bren Gun carrier [25],
while a colour sergeant is holding aloft the battle flag [26]
of the regiment. To carry the flag was neither expected nor required by
regulations, because of the risk of attracting the attention of snipers. Whatever
motivated the colour sergeant that day, his action was unselfish and courageous
and no doubt promoted a spirit of camaraderie amongst the troops of the EYR.
At the water’s edge
[18],
further infantry are dashing ashore from LCAs(a)
that were lowered from the troopship SS Empire Battleaxe earlier that morning. Nearby, a Sherman tank [19]
momentarily takes up a position in support of the landing troops, before leaving
the beach area. Meanwhile, more LCAs [10]
from the ship are making their way to the beach. She carried in her davits the
18 craft of 537 LCA Flotilla, each with a crew of 4 and space for 36 assault
troops - a total of around 650 men on each full deployment of the craft. Her
total capacity was 1195 fully equipped men. The Empire Battleaxe and many
others ships destined for Sword beach that morning set out from Spithead the
previous evening, arriving at their planned position at 5.30 hrs, two hours
before H Hour.(b) At the appointed time, she lowered
her LCAs into the water, much as a modern ship would lower her lifeboats during
an emergency at sea.
The build-up of troops and equipment was relentless and
overpowering as LCAs 770, 429 and 778 [14]
poured more troops onto the landing beach. Progress was made but at considerable
cost in lives.
Further east along the water's edge, lie
the bodies of men [21]
caught in a hail of gunfire as they landed. The bodies of others, who drowned or
were fatally wounded before they reached the landing beach, are washing back and
forth with the tide. No beach was free of such gory images and in places the sea
turned red. The wounded on the beach are receiving attention from regimental
medics [20] as a
chaplain kneels in prayer over a man close to death. Stretcher bearers [24]
are transporting casualties to the relative safety of cover provided by an
embankment and parked vehicles.
Overhead, Lancaster
bombers [01]
are making their way inland from the beaches to bomb heavy gun
emplacements, enemy strong-points, fuel and ammunition dumps, troop
concentrations, radar and communications facilities and HQ buildings;
mostly targets in support of the advancing land forces. In the run up to
D-Day, their primary purpose had been to destroy rail and road routes into
Normandy to delay the arrival of enemy reinforcements, although their area
of operation was more extensive than necessary to confuse the enemy. In
this way, the Allied plans for the invasion of Normandy were not
compromised. After D-Day, the heavy bombers increasingly returned to
operations against strategic targets, with the exception of the largest
fixed defensive installations that impeded the Allied advance in the
battle grounds.
Air cover was provided by the RAF and USAF. The patrolling
Spitfire [02] is
one of hundreds of Allied fighter aircraft of many types, that took to the air
that day. Once the beachhead had been secured and the Allied Armies had moved
inland, fighters operated in support of the troops using the 'cab rank'
arrangement described below. As it happened, the Luftwaffe were conspicuously
absent for much of D-Day and when they finally made an appearance, they were very
few in number.
The versatile Mosquito light/medium bomber [03]
was used in many different roles. Here, it is responding to a request from the
advancing troops for support to clear an enemy strong point, successfully
avoiding the flashes of anti-aircraft flak in the process. Later, when Army and
RAF "Forward Air Controllers" were operating on or near the front line with RAF
radio equipment, requests for air support were channelled through them. 'Mossies'
were called upon so regularly, that they circled in the forward areas like taxi
cabs cruising for a fare. This was to allow them to respond very quickly to any request
for assistance.
Barrage Balloons [04]
were attached to many craft to deter low level strafing and bombing attacks by
enemy planes. Although not clearly visible in the painting, the tethering cables
were lethal obstacles to low flying aircraft. However, not everyone aboard the
landing craft felt they were a power for good. Some believed the balloons could
be used by enemy observers to pin-point the location of their craft thus
allowing the enemy's big guns to fire on them.
On the horizon, far out to sea [05],
battleships, cruisers and destroyers had completed their shelling of the beach
area but remained on station to shell predetermined targets inland of the
beaches or specific targets identified by observers and the advancing troops. LCT(R)s(C) had already fired
their salvos onto the beaches, in advance of the landing troops, to soften up the
enemy defences. In addition, salvos of spigot bombs had been fired from LCA(HR)s(d),
specially adapted craft designed to clear mines from the exit routes of the beaches.
HQ ships of many types also occupied
these waters at varying distances, as they received information on the progress
of the invasion and intelligence on enemy activity. Much of the information came
from the three Fighter Direction Tenders, converted LSTs(e)
bristling with radio aerials and rotating radar gantries. The main HQ ship off
Sword, HMS Largs, used this information to call on the support of the RAF
and the Navy's big guns, while the smaller HQ craft controlled the flow of
landing craft to and from the beaches, according to need and priorities .
The 2nd East Yorkshires were
supported by ‘swimming tanks’, more properly called DD or Duplex Drive tanks [13].
They were Sherman tanks of ‘B’ Squadron of the 13th/18th
Hussars of the 27th Armoured Brigade . They were
transported to the beaches on
Mk3 LCTs of the 14th
LCT Flotilla of E Squadron,
under the command of Acting Commander
Kenneth Sellar RN. Prior to launching, their floatation skirts were raised and
secured in place to provide sufficient buoyancy for the tanks to ‘swim’ ashore
under their own power,
transmitted through two propellers. They were launched
about 5000 metres from shore and on reaching the beach,
the propeller mechanism
was detached and the tank proceeded along the beach in the conventional manner.
LCT(A) 2433 [12] ,
of the 100th LCT(A)(HE)(f)
Flotilla,
was hit as it approached the beach by an errant rocket fired from a LCT(R) further out to sea. 2433's bow door sustained
damage but she still managed to successfully unload her cargo and withdraw from
the beach. One DD tank was sunk after being rammed by an LCT(g)
while those on LCT 467 were landed directly onto the beach,
after the leading
tank damaged its flotation skirt and could not be launched.
The Mk 5 LCT(A)(h)
2052 [16]
and 2191 [17]
were built in the USA and crewed by the Royal Navy. They were also part of the
100th LCT(A)(HE) Flotilla of Assault Group S3 Support Squadron out of
Portsmouth. There were originally 8 craft in the Flotilla but only 6
reached their destination, including 2052 and 2191, the other two having broken
down. They were transporting the 5th Independent Battery of the Royal
Marine Armoured Support Group with their Centaur and Sherman tanks. Both LCTs
received direct hits from an enemy mobile 88mm gun and became total losses.
Fortunately, in both cases their tanks had already been off-loaded.
LCT(A) 2191 lost half her crew with
others severely wounded. LCT(A) 2052 did not fair much better. Their coxswain
was killed at his station in the wheelhouse and other crew members were also
severely wounded. The dead from both craft are buried in Hermanville cemetery.
Full story here.
Mk4 LCT 947(i)
[15] was
‘Leader’ of the 45th LCT(AVRE)(j)
Flotilla assigned to the 5th Assault Regiment, Royal Engineers. Only
one tank managed to disembark LCT 947 that morning. The second tank in line
carried Commander Royal Engineers, Lt Col ADB Cocks. As the tank moved forward ,
the LCT took three direct hits in her bows. The tank lurched sideways and
stopped in its tracks,
blocking the exit. Despite frantic efforts by engineers
and the forecastle party, it proved impossible to move the tank out of the way,
so the remaining tanks on board could not disembark. A greater explosion soon
followed,
when pipes packed with dynamite on board a neighbouring AVRE 'Carpet–Layer'(k),
exploded. The blast killed Lt Col Cocks and the tank commander. Despite the
damage, LCT 947 turned about and returned to England with most of her original
cargo and the bodies of the men,
who had been killed aboard that morning.
LCI(S) 519(l)
[08] was
‘Leader’ of the 200th LCI(S) Flotilla out of Warsash on the River
Hamble. She carried the 200th Flotilla Officer, Lt Commander Rupert
Curtis and Commandos of the 1st Special Service Brigade. Amongst them ,
were the Commanding Officer of No 4 Commando, Brigadier Lord Simon Lovat and his
piper Bill Millin.[22]
Both of them waded ashore, Millin wearing his kilt and playing the bagpipes and
Lord Lovat wearing a ‘Tam o' Shanter’(m) with his
white Commando sweater under his battledress tunic, although, on the day, his
tunic would undoubtedly have been fastened!
A memorial to Bill Millin was
dedicated in 2013
near to the landing beach.
Another craft of the 200th
LCI(S) Flotilla was the LCI(S) 524. [06]
She had beached under fire and took casualties after landing her Commandos.
Having successfully withdrawn from the beach ,
she received a direct hit in her
high octane tanks. The craft disintegrated and the fuel ignited setting the sea
ablaze. Survivors,
struggling in the sea,
were picked up by a US Navy coastguard
cutter but despite this,
8 members of her crew were lost.
Also in view are LCI(S) 506 [09]
and nearby ,
LCI(S) 531 lying on her side. Although,
originally part of the 201st
Flotilla,
these craft were assigned to the 200th LCI(S) Flotilla on D-Day. 506
was badly damaged but managed to take off the crew of LCI(S) 531,
which was
sinking.
At the rear of LCT(A) 2433 is the
American built LCI(L) 269(n)
[11]
procured under the Lend Lease arrangements with the USA. She was fitted with
communications and radar equipment and re-designated LCH 269.(o)
Her role during the assault was to direct the flow of landing craft to and from
Queen Red beach.
Because of their considerable
experience of recovering downed pilots and air crew, particularly from the
waters around the south coast of England, the RAF Search and Rescue Launch 2687
[07]
patrols off
the beach in search of men in the water.
The beaches were heavily defended by
gun emplacements, pill boxes and beach obstacles, the latter designed to
obstruct and impede the progress of landing craft ,
as they approached their
predetermined landing areas or, in the case of those obstacles primed with
powerful mines, to destroy or disable the craft. Other obstacles placed above
the waterline had a similar purpose but were aimed at tanks and other mechanised
vehicles and the assault troops. An armoured bulldozer [23]
is clearing
steel
tetrahedron shaped girders
from an area of the beach.
The Royal Marine sniper [27]
may well have had a German officer in his sights, whose elimination would add to
the confusion and bewilderment spreading amongst the German troops defending the
landing area. The Royal Marines were reputed to be amongst the best of snipers,
since they had a tradition of sniping from the cross trees of sailing ships
over centuries past. They had continued with sniper training, when most warring
nations abandoned it, during periods of peace.
Makeshift signs [28],
to warn of mine fields and other hard to see dangers, were hastily erected. The
skull and crossbones captured the attention of passing troops and vehicle
drivers, while the direction and distance of the danger, scrawled underneath,
provided the vital information they needed, in this case about mines.
Subtext Notes
(a). LCA. Landing Craft Assault.
Purpose; To carry troops on mother ships to the area of the landing
beaches. The fully laden LCAs were then lowered into the water on davits, much as
a modern day lifeboat. Depending on their size, the mother ships could carry between
6 and 20 LCAs.
Specification; Size 41ft
x 10ft, Speed 10 kn, Carrying Capacity 35 men.
Other Information; Built between 1940 and 1944 these wooden craft had a well to
carry troops. The sides were partially armoured against small arms fire. Early flotillas were manned by RN officers and ratings but by the
end of 1943 Royal Marine (RM) flotillas began to form. By the end of the war 350
LCAs had been listed as lost.
(b). H Hour.
The time of the initial assault landings for a particular beach. The times
varied a little to allow for the progress of the tide along the Normandy coast.
(c).
LCT (R). Landing Craft Tank (Rocket). Purpose; To bombard enemy positions on and near the
landing beaches with a devastating and intense barrage of rocket propelled bombs
in advance of the first wave of landing troops.
Specification; Size 192ft x 32
ft. Speed
10.5 kn. Armaments,
Arrays of rocket launchers for Rocket Projectile 3 inch (RP 3) weighing 60 lbs.
Other Information; LCT(R)s were LCTs with their tank decks covered over to take the rocket
launchers. The full set of launchers was in excess of 1,000 and reloads
totalling 5,000 rockets were kept below. The firepower was claimed to deliver,
over a short period, the equivalent fire power of 200 destroyers.
(d). LCA (HR). Landing Craft Assault
(Hedgerow).
Purpose; To clear the beaches of land mines prior to the landing of Royal Engineers who completed the task. To achieve
their objective the mortars were fired as a widely spread salvo onto the landing
beaches. They exploded a few feet above the beach creating a shock wave over a
wide area sufficient to detonate land mines hidden in the sand.
Specification; Size 41ft
x 10ft; Speed 10 kn; Armaments
24 Spigot Mortars.
Other Information; Adapted LCAs with reinforced floors, these craft carried four rows each of
six spigot mortars loosely based on the Royal Navy's Hedgehog anti-submarine
weapon. To achieve the element of surprise the weapon was top secret until used
on the Normandy beaches. On the UK/Canadian beaches there were 18 craft off
‘Juno 2' and 'Gold’ beaches and 9 off ‘Sword’ beach. They were open to the
elements and not designed for long journeys in the open sea especially in rough
conditions but, nonetheless they were towed across the Channel by larger craft
such as LCTs which carried the assault teams of Royal Engineers.
(e). LST. Landing
Ship Tank.
Purpose; There were a number of
different types and marks of this heavy duty landing ships. In its basic form it
carried tanks, lorries etc and their crews.
Specification; Size 390ft
x 49ft; Speed 17 kn; Carrying Capacity 13 x 40 ton tanks or 20 x
25 ton tanks + 26 loaded 3 ton trucks + 193men although nn infinite number of other combinations of
tanks, vehicles & men
were possible.
Other Information; Adaptations included the
Fighter Direction Tenders.
(f).
LCT(HE). Landing Craft Tank (High Explosive)
Purpose, Tank transporter.
Specification, Same as (h) but without the
armour plating.
Other Information, Both British and USA craft were part of the initial assault with their cargo of
tanks having the capability of firing on enemy defensive positions while
approaching the landing beaches.
(g). LCT. Landing Craft Tank;
Purpose; A number of different marks or types were
manufactured that were
smaller and lighter than LSTs but with a similar purpose.
Specification; Size 192ft x 31ft; Speed 10.5 kn; Carrying Capacity 5 x 40 ton tanks or 10 x 25 ton tanks +
men or any combination; Armaments
2 x 2 pr or 2 x Oerliken rapid fire cannon.
Other Information; Carrying capacity figures are approximate and indicative since
an infinite number of different loads could be arranged.
(h). Mk 5 LCT(A). Mark 5 Landing Craft Tank
(Armoured).
Purpose; Similar in purpose to the LCT but
smaller and with added 2" armoured plate over the superstructure to the rear. On British craft
they carried two Centaur tanks with 95mm howitzers mounted on a raised platform
to fire on enemy strong-points as they approached the beaches.
Specification; Size 117ft
x 32.8ft Speed 8kn;
Other Information; Carrying capacity - an
infinite number of different loads could be arranged from troops to tanks and
lorries or any combination thereof.
(i).
Mk 4 LCT. Mark 4 Landing Craft Tank.
Purpose. The mainstay of the Royal Navy in
ferrying troops, tanks, lorries and supplies from the UK to the landing beaches.
864 were built from 1942 to 45 with 39 reported as lost at the end of the
war.
Specification. Size 187 x 39; Speed 9.5kn;
Other Information. Carrying capacity varied since an infinite
number of different loads could be arranged.
(j). LCT (AVRE).
Landing Craft Tank (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers).
Purpose. The
LCT(AVRE) was an LCT carrying Hobart's Funnies (tanks adapted for
beach clearance). Otherwise see (i) above.
(k). AVRE Carpet Layer.
To minimise the risk of bottlenecks in the movement of
vehicles on the landing beaches the AVRE Carpet Layer was developed by Hobart to
lay a
roadway over otherwise non-traversable terrain or barbed wire obstacles. At the
front of the vehicle a steel frame carried a canvas/Hessian mat wound on a large
bobbin. On approaching soft ground the 10 foot wide mat was fed under the tank's
tracks and as the tank moved forward, the mat was laid down. To remove obstacles
and natural features such as large sand dunes, the AVRE Carpet Layers carried
pipes filled with dynamite. They were forced into the obstacle and detonated.
The Carpet layer
carried a crew of 5 and was armed with a Petard 290 mm spigot mortar as well as
one 7.92 mm Besa machine gun. Once beyond the problem soil the carpet-laying
frame with bobbin was removed allowing the tank to undertake its conventional
duties.
(l).
LCI(S). Landing Craft Infantry (Small).
Purpose. The transport of troops from friendly shores to enemy defended
beaches.
Specification.
Size
105 x 22; Speed 13.5; Carrying Capacity 96 fully equipped men; Armaments
2 x Oerliken rapid fire cannon.
Other Information.
These wooden craft were built in 1943 and
carried pennant numbers in
the range from 501-600. The hull, deck and sides carried
bullet proof plating. On D-Day 3
flotillas of LCI(S) were present on the Normandy beaches, they being the 200th and
201st on Sword beach
assigned with Brigadier Lord Simon Lovat’s Commandos, the
near 200 strong force of Lieutenant Philippe Kieffer’s Free French Commando and
41 Royal Marine Commando. To
the westward, on Juno beach the craft of 202 Flotilla were assigned delivering
the men of 48 Royal Marine Commando to St Aubin sur Mer at the eastern extreme
of Juno beach. By the war’s end 8 craft had been recorded as ‘War Losses’ they
being HMLCI(S) 511, 512, 517, 524, 531, 532, 537 and 540........5 of which being
in Normandy.
(m).
Tam o' Shanter.
A Scottish bonnet, often tartan with a pom pom at its
centre.
(n). LCI(L). Landing Craft Infantry (Large)
Purpose. The
transport of troops from friendly shores to enemy held defended
beaches.
Specification.
Size
160 x 23.7; Speed 14kn; Carrying Capacity 190 men + 50 men on the upper deck for very
short passage in good weather. Armaments 4 x Oerliken rapid fire cannon.
Other Information. Sides and bulwark built of bullet proof plating.
(o). LCH. Landing Craft Headquarters
Purpose. Command and Control.
Specification. American
LCI(L) conversions.
Other Information. The craft carrying communication personnel who took over the troop space which
was not required on such craft.
Further Reading
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