D-Day
A full moon, a high and low tide, crickets, and bagpipers were all ingredients for the success of the Longest Day, June 6th, 1944, the Battle of Normandy, D-Day.
James Stagg, a military meteorologist, convinced General Dwight D. Eisenhower to delay the battle for one day to take advantage of better weather, a full moon and a high spring tide making for an easier and safer navigation of the dangerously-mined English Channel.
By 6:30 a.m. and low tide, landing crafts, some driven by British women soldiers, were maneuvering toward the beaches. The low tide prevented many troops from drowning while going ashore. Some Scottish troops landed and followed a skirted bagpiper into the battle. Other troops carrying up to 75 pounds of gear also carried bicycles.
Two lines from a famous French poem was an important part of the invasion. The first line read and transmitted by BBC radio into France was used to alert the French Resistance that they should be ready for the invasion and the second line read later was the signal to begin the destruction of communications and railroads of the enemy.
Paratroopers dropped behind enemy lines that day were given a simple brass toy that when squeezed emitted a cricket sound. One click was to be answered by two clicks if the approaching soldier was an ally. One of these soldiers, being separated from his platoon, said while laying in a ditch after nightfall, “After this day I can never fear anything again.”
The troop landings lasted until midnight. Although thousands of allies were killed and wounded, the timing was right as second in command of the enemy troops, Rommel, had taken a vacation and many of the troops left to defend the beaches at Normandy were captured and enslaved by the Germans, or part of a tank division operated by a group known as Hitler youth. Also, fuel provisions were low and not replenished.
In all, 11,000 aircraft, 6,000 naval vessels, two million soldiers, sailors and airmen from 15 countries were part of the Longest Day, the beginning of the end of World War II. For additional information and personal accounts go to www.nationalww2museum.org.