On D-Day, 6 June 1944, the Allies launched the largest naval, air and land operation in the history of warfare. The Allied forces began the fight to liberate north-west Europe from German occupation.
This collection of photographs show the Allies preparing for the complex land, sea and air operation, codenamed Operation Overlord.
Photographs
Boarding at Gosport
©IWM (H 38977)
Image: IWM (H 38977)
A Sherman tank of the 13th/18th Hussars, 27th Armoured Brigade, reverses aboard an LST (Landing Ship Tank) at Gosport, 1 June 1944.
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Photographs
Acquiring fence wire
Courtesy USA Government (EA 24168)
US soldiers pile great rolls of fence wire at a supply depot in England.
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Photographs
Packing parachutes
© IWM (TR 1783)
Image: IWM (TR 1783)
Members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force repair and pack parachutes for use by airborne troops during the Normandy invasion, 31 May 1944.
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Photographs
Reading up on France
Image: IWM (H 38831)
A soldier from 101st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (12th King's Regiment (Liverpool)) 3rd Division, prepares for D Day by reading at his French handbook at Camp A2 at Emsworth, near Portsmouth, Hampshire, 29 May 1944.
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Photographs
Learning to swim
© IWM (H 38125)
Image: IWM (H 38125)
British troops learning to swim across a waterway in full kit on a physical training course for NCOs, 2 May 1944.
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Photographs
Constructing artificial harbours
© IWM (H 37607)
Image: IWM (H 37607)
'Phoenix' concrete caissons, part of the Mulberry artificial harbour, being constructed in Surrey Docks in Rotherhithe, London, 17 April 1944.
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Photographs
Loading supplies
© IWM (EN 25387)
Image: IWM (IWM EN 25387)
A US truck towing a field kitchen drives aboard an LST (Landing Ship Tank) at Brixham in Devon during preparations for the invasion of Europe, June 1944.
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Photographs
Rehearsing the landings
© IWM (H 38244)
Image: IWM (H 38244)
Troops storm ashore from LCAs (Landing Craft Assault) during Exercise 'Fabius', a major invasion rehearsal on the British coast, 5 May 1944. Nearest landing craft is LCA 798.
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Photographs
Building decoys
Image: IWM (H 42527)
Dummy landing craft used as decoys in south-eastern harbours in the period before D-Day.
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Photographs
Checking tanks
© IWM (NYT 12387)
Image: IWM (IWM NYT 12387)
A US officer checks a line-up of newly delivered M4 Sherman tanks at a supply depot in Britain, 1944.
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Photographs
Assembling landing craft
Image: IWM (A 23731)
A large group of LCTs (Landing Craft Tank) moored along the quayside at Southampton, 1944.
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Photographs
Attending briefings
Image: IWM (H 39089)
Men of 22nd Independent Parachute Company, 6th Airborne Division being briefed for the invasion, 4 - 5 June 1944.
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Photographs
Saying a prayer
Courtesy USA Government (EA 25518)
Father (Major) Edward J Waters, a US Army Catholic chaplain, conducts a service on the quayside at Weymouth for army and navy personnel about to take part in the invasion of Europe, June 1944. Troops from Weymouth were destined for Omaha assault area.
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Photographs
Building Bridges
Courtesy USA Government (EA 22916)
Pontoons which will be used for building pontoon bridges in Europe await issue to engineering units at a supply depot in England.
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© IWM (Art.IWM ART 16569)
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