June 5th 1944

Its cloudy, overcast and raining outside today, not a lot different from 5th June 1944. That particular day was the eve to the D Day landings in Normandy. Weather played a huge roll in the invasion plans, The big question – whether to go or delay???Of course we now know the Allies went and were successful. I doubt the decision to go was as simple in 1944. The foul weather made the necessary air cover over the invasion forces difficult. The air raids prior to the landings were also questionable but went ahead. More than 1000 British bombers drop 5,000 tons of bombs on German gun batteries on the Normandy coast in preparation for the invasion. The Channel was rough and a concern for the thousands of troops crowded into the landing ships. During these momentous times I was living in the village of Padstow in Cornwall. Apparently the beaches were very similar to those in Normandy. The tiny fishing village was top secret and a highly restricted area. It was where the Royal Naval landing craft practiced beach landings for the coming invasion. Of course we knew none of this at the time. The D Day invasion was probably the most closely guarded secret of the Second World War. Such an important day probably the most important of the war. Had the invasion failed the war might have gone on for years. Just a memory now, but an important one.
Cheers and keep reading.