X-Nico

5 unusual facts about Operation Overlord


Bayeux, Paraíba

The municipality was called Barreiros until 1944, when the name was changed to celebrate the first city of the Battle of Normandy to be liberated, Bayeux, France, during the Second World War.

Free French Naval Air Service

The Free French Naval Air Service supported Free French Naval and Allied forces in overseas fronts (North Africa, Middle East, etc.) and later supported the Free French Navy during Allied advances into French territory after the Battle of Normandy.

Niagara Parkway

In mid-August 1943, Sir Winston Churchill came to Canada to attend the Quebec Conference, a then-secret meeting in Quebec City to discuss a strategy for the invasion of France which would come to be known as D-Day.

RAF Chailey

It was not laid out until 1943, by which time the strategy was different and it was passed to the 2nd Tactical Air Force to become an operating station for the invasion of continental Europe, codenamed Operation Overlord.

Sutherland, Saskatoon

David Vivian Currie - Sutherland born recipient of the Victoria Cross and the only Canadian to be awarded the medal during the Normandy Campaign in the Second World War


1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers

The Brigade was employed during the assault landings in Normandy, Operation Overlord and further used during the battle for the Roer Triangle (Operation Blackcock), the Rhine crossings (Operation Plunder) and the Elbe crossing.

21st Army Group

Commanded by General (later Field Marshal) Sir Bernard Montgomery, 21st Army Group initially controlled all ground forces in Operation Overlord (the United States First Army and British Second Army).

22nd Dragoons

As such, the regiment came ashore in the first wave of the Operation Overlord landings on the morning of 6 June 1944, with A Squadron, reinforced by two troops of C Squadron and supported by two troops of the Westminster Dragoons, landing on Sword Beach and B Squadron landing on Juno Beach.

387th Air Expeditionary Group

The 387th Bomb Group moved to RAF Stoney Cross in Hampshire on 21 July 1944 when Ninth Air Force moved the 98th Bomb Wing's four Marauder groups into the New Forest area at the earliest opportunity to place them closer to the French Normandy Invasion beaches.

402 Squadron RCAF

A move to RAF Digby in March 1943, brought a return to Spitfire Mk Vs, which were flown from a variety of airfields right up to and during the Battle of Normandy, when it operated from Horne, Westhampnett (now Chichester/Goodwood Airport) and Merston, mainly in a fighter-bomber role.

640th Bombardment Squadron

The 640th initially flew sweeps over Occupied France from its base in England, attacking coastal defenses, V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket sites, airfields, and other targets in France in preparation for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy.

642d Bombardment Squadron

The 642d initially flew sweeps over Occupied France from its base in England, attacking coastal defenses, V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket sites, airfields, and other targets in France in preparation for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy.

643d Bombardment Squadron

The 643d initially flew sweeps over Occupied France from its base in England, attacking coastal defenses, V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket sites, airfields, and other targets in France in preparation for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy.

78th Fighter Group

In addition to other operations, the 78th participated in the intensive campaign against the German Air Force and aircraft industry during Big Week, 20–25 February 1944 and helped to prepare the way for the invasion of France.

Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle

The Albemarle was originally designed as a medium bomber, but never served in that role, instead being used for general and special transport duties, paratroop transport and glider towing, including significant actions such as Normandy and the assault on Arnhem during Operation Market Garden.

Albemarles took part in many of the major British airborne operations, such as the invasion of Sicily and of Normandy and the assault on Arnhem during Operation Market Garden.

Brothers in Arms: Hour of Heroes

The missions take place during three separate campaigns; Operation Overlord (Normandy), the Tunisia Campaign and the Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes).

Colleville-Montgomery

The new name honoured the British commander Sir Bernard Montgomery who commanded the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944.

Convoy SC 143

Code-named Rossbach, the group was stationed at the western edge of the Greenland Air Gap to intercept the expected east-bound convoys, carrying materiel for the invasion of Europe.

Die Deutsche Wochenschau

Among the many notable scenes preserved by the newsreel are the Nazi point of view during the Battle of Normandy, the footage of Hitler and Mussolini right after the 20 July plot, and the last footage (No. 755) of Hitler awarding the Iron Cross to Hitler Youth volunteers in the garden of the Reich Chancellery shortly before the Battle of Berlin.

Exercise Tiger

Exercise Tiger, or Operation Tiger, was the code name for one in a series of large-scale rehearsals for the D-Day invasion of Normandy, which took place on Slapton Sands or Slapton Beach in Devon.

Hans Waldmüller

Waldmüller was awarded the Knights Cross on 27 August 1944, for his bravery in the Battle of Normandy fighting at Cambes near Caen.

II Canadian Corps

During the Battle of Normandy, the Corps was used to spearhead the British-Canadian advance from Caen to Falaise.

John Durnford-Slater

In Italy he commanded the Commando brigade that undertook the capture of Termoli, before serving as deputy commander of the Special Service Group, a divisional level headquarters unit that planned and administered all commando operations during Operation Overlord and the advance into Germany.

Lucian Truscott

The rapid retreat of the German Nineteenth Army resulted in swift gains for the Allied forces and the Dragoon force met up with southern thrusts from Operation Overlord in mid-September, near Dijon.

Mailly-le-Camp

During preparations for the Normandy invasion (Operation Overlord), 346 British Avro Lancasters and 14 de Havilland Mosquitoes of RAF Bomber Command attacked the German military camp situated near the village of Mailly-le-Camp.

Melesta Games

Each world in the game is devoted to the most famous operations of WW2, Battle of Stalingrad, Overlord and Crusader.

Moe Hurwitz

Reginald Roy of the Canadian War Museum described it as "one of the most swiftly successful troop actions by Canadian tanks in the entire Normandy Campaign".

No. 201 Group RAF

201 Group, as the coastal component of the original tri-force, contributed significantly to the organization of the Northwest African Air Forces established on February 18, 1943, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) in December 1943, Allied Expeditionary Air Forces (AEAF) of the Normandy Campaign, and even today's air forces.

Panzerfaust

In the Battle of Normandy, only 6% of British tank losses were from Panzerfaust fire, despite the close-range combat in the Bocage landscape.

Ramon S. Subejano

Ramon S. Subejano served with Company A, 358th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division and saw combat at Normandy Beach, Ardennes, Northern France, the Netherlands, and the Rhineland.

Richard Rudolf

He was awarded the Knight's Cross for his bravery in the Battle of Normandy fighting at the Carpiquet airfield just outside of Caen.


see also

D-Day -1

Opening with a statement by Gen. Barney M. Giles, reminding the audience that the war can't be won without money to pay for armaments and equipment, the film turns to an overview of Operation Overlord and the necessity for breaking the Atlantic wall.