Tag: Hitler

On This Day 72 Years Ago – D-Day for the Liberation of Western Europe by the United Nations

On: By: Philip Wake
On 6th June 1944 the United Nations began the largest amphibious military assault ever launched with the purpose of liberating Western Europe from the control of Hitler, namely the Invasion of Normandy or D-Day as it is popularly remembered by the millions of people who were liberated and their descendants! During World War II the Invasion of Normandy resulted in the United Nations liberating Western Europe from the control of Hitler. Operation Neptune (the first day of Operation Overlord) Read more [...]

On This Day 76 Years Ago: Churchill Said: “We shall fight on the beaches!”

On: By: Philip Wake
On 4th June 1940 the Dunkirk evacuation was completed with over 338,000 troops rescued to fight another day and Winston Churchill made his famous "We shall fight on the beaches!" speech. Mr Churchill tempered his admiration for the success of Operation Dynamo with these words: "Wars are not won by evacuations". "There is no doubt in my mind that the last few weeks have been a colossal military disaster." "The British Expeditionary Force had to leave behind all its heavy armour and Read more [...]

On This Day 76 Years Ago – 700 Little Ships Sailed to Rescue 338,000 Soldiers Trapped on the Beaches at Dunkirk

On: By: Philip Wake
On 26th May 1940 the 700 Little Ships of Dunkirk sailed from Ramsgate in England to Dunkirk in France between 26th May and 4th June 1940 as part of Operation Dynamo, helping to rescue more than 338,000 British and French soldiers who were trapped on the beaches at Dunkirk during the Second World War. 198,000 of the troops were part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) of the British Army in Europe from 1939 to 1940 during early stages of the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, Read more [...]

On This Day 73 Years Ago – The Dam Busters Helped To Win The War

On: By: Philip Wake
On 17th May 1943 RAF 617 Squadron became heroes of WW2 "The bombs themselves were invented specifically for the task by the aircraft engineer Dr Barnes Wallis, the designer of the Wellington bomber. They were barrel-shaped, and used the principle of a 'ducks and drakes' stone bouncing on the water to bypass the defences around the dams. The Lancaster bombers flown by 617 Squadron were extensively modified, and the crews trained to fly at less than 100ft (30.48m) above the water, Read more [...]