Why is it called D-Day? How day of the Normandy landings got its name (2024)

Second World War veterans are making the journey across the Channel to France this week to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

A host of events have been scheduled to commemorate the milestone moment eight decades ago, which led to the liberation of France by the Allied Forces.

On the morning of Tuesday 6 June, 1944, the Allied Forces land, sea and air divisions combined to invade German-occupied France landing thousands of troops on the beaches at Normandy.

It was to prove a pivotal moment in the Second World War and the defeat of Nazi Germany but it came at a high price with around 10,000 Allied service personnel killed or wounded in the first 24 hours of the battle.

Eighty years on, the UK, France, the US and Canada will be marking the day and the sacrifices which were made with the dwindling number of survivors from the operation.

Why is it called D-Day?

The significance of the “D” in D-Day is often misunderstood, with some people thinking it stands for something such as “death day” or “Doomsday”.

In fact, it simply stands for “day” and D-Day has long been used to refer to the start of any significant military operation, often to keep the exact date a secret.

However, it is now firmly associated with the Normandy landings.

What happened?

The Allied invasion in northern France – codenamed Operation Overlord – was the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare.

The numbers were staggering. Starting at 6.30am, the Allies used around 5,000 ships to land more than 150,000 troops on five beaches in Normandy.

The beaches were codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

By the end of the day on 6 June, the Allies had established a foothold in Normandy, paving the way for their liberation of north-western Europe.

Who was involved?

The aim of the French invasion was to open up a second front against Germany, relieving pressure on the Soviet Union in the east.

Plans began being drawn up in 1943 with a team led by US General Dwight D Eisenhower.

Normandy was not the closest part of France to the UK but was chosen in an effort to deceive Hitler who thought the troops would cross at the narrowest point of the English Channel.

The Allies had spent years building up supplies and bringing troops into the UK, including 1.4 million servicemen from Canada and the US.

The invasion was a truly global effort however, with contribution from countries including Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Holland, France, Greece, New Zealand, Norway and Poland.

What was the result?

Although not all the beaches were captured as intended on D-Day, the operation was ultimately succesful.

The Allies established a 60-mile front along Normandy and began their march through France.

By the end of August 1944, the Germans were in full retreat although they managed to regroup and launch a counteroffensive at the end of the year.

By the following April, Soviet troops had stormed and captured Berlin.

Why was D-Day successful?

Historians highlight a number of factors as to why the Allies were successful on D-Day.

The Germans had been unable to complete defences on the Atlantic Wall while deception tactics had also left generals defending a long stretch of the coastline.

Allied supremacy in the air prevented Germany disrupting the attack before it began, while the French resistance was similarly effective in blocking supplies and reinforcements.

How is D-Day marked today?

A number of commemorative events have been planned to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings.

Around 40 veterans have already gathered at Southwick House, in Southwick near Portsmouth, on Monday to begin commemorations with an afternoon tea and formal dinner.

The building was the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight Eisenhower during the build-up to the Normandy invasions and now houses the Defence School of Policing and Security.

On Tuesday, a ferry carrying D-Day veterans set sail from Portsmouth to France accompanied by a flotilla of Royal Navy vessels.

The Jedburgh Pipe Band played the ferry out of the harbour, where members of the public gathered to see the convoy off as they travel to Caen.

An MoD spokesman said: “The veterans, travelling with The Spirit of Normandy Trust and the Royal British Legion, will carry with them a commemorative torch from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission which will form the centrepiece of the vigil at Bayeux War Cemetery on 5 June.

“A young person will pass this symbolic torch to a veteran before they board the ferry. At 1300 (ship’s time), a wreath-laying will take place on the ferry to remember those who never made it to shore.”

Portsmouth will also play host to the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) national commemorative event on Southsea Common on the morning of 5 June.

And a service to mark the 80thAnniversary of the Normandy Landings will be held at Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Bayeux War Cemetery in France at 5pm on 5 June, with a vigil and light show.

Then on Thursday 6 June, the MOD and the Royal British Legion will hold the UK’s national commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, France, which will be televised.

While in the UK, the Royal British Legion will be hosting a Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire at 2pm.