The War File - D-Day Assault On Fortress Europe (DVD, 1990) Region Free. NEW

War File, The - D-Day - Assault On Fortress Europe (DVD, 1990).

Early in the morning of 6th June 1944, a vast and bizarre armada ploughed steadily against stiff head-winds

through the rough waters of the English Channel, heading for the Normandy coast. Amongst the 5,000 vessels were

many of the best British and American warships, of stupendous collective firepower, also ancient battleships and

tankers on their last voyage, destined to be sunk to provide breakwaters. Thousands of the craft had been built to

make one journey only and that a short one; to ferry the invading allied forces together with their immense diversity

of equipment on the last difficult, dangerous stretch from the transports to the shore of enemy-occupied France.

It was D-Day. Conceived almost on the shores of Dunkirk, four years in the planning, two in the organising and one

day in the execution, the landing in Normandy was easily the largest and most extraordinary combined military

operation ever attempted. It was also a crucial one. By 1944 it was becoming clear that Germany would lose the

war in Europe, who would win it was another matter. Had D-Day failed and at times it came close to it, the western

allies would have found it impossible to launch another operation for at least a year, perhaps more and todays

map of Europe might have been very different.

One of the millions taking part in the landings, Admiral Ramsay, was famous for his dislike of even the mildest

exaggeration, as Overlord got under way, he told his officers "Gentlemen, I am sorry about all the superlatives,

today they happen to be true." This is that storv.

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