Mapmakers took details from snapshots and postcards sent in by the British public from their holidays in Normandy before the war.

Many soldiers involved in Operation Overlord were 18, 19 years old, or even younger and had no experience of war. They trained with new weapons, vehicles and equipment until they could use them in the dark; they memorised maps and models of Normandy. To succeed the operation had to be a surprise, so soldiers were told as little as possible about the invasion plans and when it would take place.

The video tells events from an ordinary soldier's point of view.
You can view the second soldier's tale.

At the Imperial War Museum we also learned about the photographs of Robert Capa, which have become the definitive image of the invasion, and were used by Steven Spielberg  as inspiration for the opening sequences of Saving Private Ryan.

For general information on D-day click on the Logo

Click on the image to learn more about Robert Capa.

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