D-Day/Normandy Landing
On June 6, 1944 the allies landed on the beaches of Normandy. There were 5 beaches that the allies had to capture in order to win back France which would allow them to be able to have access to the rest of Europe. In the success of capturing the beaches they would have a chance to push back the Germans back to Germany.
Each beach was assigned to an ally to capture, Omaha and Utah was assigned to U.S, Sword and gold to British, and Juno was Canada’s responsibility. 155,000 soldiers, 50,000 ships and landing craft, 50,000 vehicles and 11,000 planes combined were entrusted with the duty to capture the 5 beaches of Normandy. Canada contributed 14,000 soldiers which were to land on the beaches and another 450 to land behind the enemy line with gliders. The Royal Canadian Navy supplied ships which contained 10,000 sailors. At Juno the British and Canadians started bombarding the beaches with the ships and planes at 6am. The object given to the Canadian army in the front was to push through the gap between Bayeux and Caen and establish a beached along the five miles between Coursealles and St-Aubin-sur-Mer. The soldiers that landed with the gliders behind the enemy line’s goal was to protect the left flank of the 9th Parachute Battalion, cut the bridges on the Dies and Divette Rivers in Varavillle and Robehomme, to take a strategic position at a crossroad in Le Mesnil. Juno was the only beach that was captured in the first day of the invasion and Canada was the only one to have completed all their objectives.
While the U.S and the British could not complete all their objectives in the first day, two hours after the Canadian army landed they captured Juno beach and established a beachhead, but if cost the lives of over 1,000 solders lives. Their sacrifices was not in vain because they had broken the first line of defense of the Germans which contributed to the big win for the allies. There were still 11 months until the end of the war but this was the stepping stone to the ending the great World War II.
Each beach was assigned to an ally to capture, Omaha and Utah was assigned to U.S, Sword and gold to British, and Juno was Canada’s responsibility. 155,000 soldiers, 50,000 ships and landing craft, 50,000 vehicles and 11,000 planes combined were entrusted with the duty to capture the 5 beaches of Normandy. Canada contributed 14,000 soldiers which were to land on the beaches and another 450 to land behind the enemy line with gliders. The Royal Canadian Navy supplied ships which contained 10,000 sailors. At Juno the British and Canadians started bombarding the beaches with the ships and planes at 6am. The object given to the Canadian army in the front was to push through the gap between Bayeux and Caen and establish a beached along the five miles between Coursealles and St-Aubin-sur-Mer. The soldiers that landed with the gliders behind the enemy line’s goal was to protect the left flank of the 9th Parachute Battalion, cut the bridges on the Dies and Divette Rivers in Varavillle and Robehomme, to take a strategic position at a crossroad in Le Mesnil. Juno was the only beach that was captured in the first day of the invasion and Canada was the only one to have completed all their objectives.
While the U.S and the British could not complete all their objectives in the first day, two hours after the Canadian army landed they captured Juno beach and established a beachhead, but if cost the lives of over 1,000 solders lives. Their sacrifices was not in vain because they had broken the first line of defense of the Germans which contributed to the big win for the allies. There were still 11 months until the end of the war but this was the stepping stone to the ending the great World War II.