The Allies Prior to D-Day
The forces involved in D-Day had been preparing for months, even years. In the weeks before 6 June 1944, final training exercises were completed and the troops were moved to camps near the southern coast of England, in position to embark onto the ships that would take them across to Normandy. Meanwhile, these ships gathered at ports along the coast. In mid-April 1944, 9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry moved to a tented camp about five miles from Southampton, as Eric Broadhead describes: “ Life on the whole was pleasant. It was summertime at its best. Our evenings found us in Southampton, where the servicemen outnumbered the civilians by seven to one. The walk from Southampton back to camp was a pleasant one, and often I and my mates would stroll back talking of home, parents, wives and sweethearts and of the day that must surely dawn soon, the day when we sailed for a destination that only a few men knew. We discussed our ideas of where it would be, but the question was when? Sometimes the question got on our nerves. We all had our own theories as to when it would be. Around May 10th, a drastic move took place. The camps were sealed, our training was over. The days that followed were strange to be sure. Barbed wire skirted the camp area, armed guards too. We received no mail, but were still allowed to write home, subject to strict censorship.” A few days later, the troops were told more about the planned invasion. “ Our briefing took place in a Nissen hut which was heavily guarded. Inside was similar to a schoolroom and a huge map on an equally huge blackboard. On the map we could see a small strip of coastline, the names of towns and villages were false, New York, Istanbul etc. So we learned little as to the exact whereabouts of the assault. All we knew was that our objective was to capture the beachhead and press on to high ground and above all, hold our ground until armoured divisions were ashore.”