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Im going to be honest Could you Survive D-day is a Stupid and almost disrespectful title because it almost implies that the troops didn't fight hard enough or was a "skill issue" to get of the beach when their survival wasn't even luck but a matter of chance.
This series is amazing. I am able to watch this video in comfort and peace only because of the sacrifices made 80 years ago and is more than a chapter in a history book. This is not lost on me.
In remembrance of my Dad who, at the age of 14, sailed in support of the Allied troops ferrying mulberry harbours across the Channel during the D Day landings. He went on to serve in the RAF and saw action during the Suez Crisis. He never spoke of the heartbreak of war until his twilight years. He was a hard but kind man who rarely cried...but when speaking of friends he made and lost during those conflicts, tears always followed. Love you, Dad...
My father never told us when he was alive, he went in D-Day+1. Re-enlisted for the Malayan Insurgency post-war. Lost all his section when a German tank blew up the house they were in. He was sleeping by the window and got blown out. We only know this and his previous injuries from a bullet impacting his backpack because he would get drunk in the 50's at his beloved rugby club and tell his brother-in-law all that had happened. He only told his wife a glossed over version. We had to apply for his medals and service record after he died to figure it all out. We loved him dearly . They really went through it, didn't they?
@@yiasemi Respect and profound gratitude...and yes, they certainly went through it. Like you, I also had to apply for my Dad's service medals...For me, the sad thing is, is knowing he threw out his uniform, pay book, etc., because he didn't think anyone would be interested...
1:13:19 "In memory of all those who died and whose memory we are duty bound to keep, that future generations may never forget at what cost our freedom came" - well said mate, well said. Love from Australia.
My Uncle Tony Ratola was a Medic and was shot twice on D- Day. My Grandparents didn't know where he was for months, and he was presumably KIA. When he finally came home, his sisters hid him out in a closet to surprise my Grandpa when he came home from work. He was sure he'd never see his son again.
I was lucky enough to meet a D-Day veteran as a kid. He was part of the doomed 2nd wave on Omaha. He said somehow, by some divine fortune, he made it behind a small bluff with a handful of other guys, half of them injured. Their only hope was to stay low and still enough not to attract enemy fire. He said the wait for the 3rd wave to come in was agonizing. I hope the rest of his years went well.
My great-uncle was wounded on Omaha Beach, I always wish I could have heard his story. However unfortunately, he healed up just in time to die in the Ardennes, it was so cold his body couldn't be retrieved until spring. His name was PFC Reed Lane Youngblood, he was only 20. Purple heart recipient and posthumous bronze star recipient, he was cut down by an mg42 whilst "running a message"
Rest in Peace for the soldiers who died in this ferocious battle😢. Everyone allied soldier in D-Day(died and survived) will be remembered for generations. Hope for those who have died have a great afterlife.
Thank-you for making this. One of my grandfathers (1913-2003) the son of a British First World War Infantryman who lost a leg in action. Was a British RASC driver (PTE), attached to the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. He drove ashore at Bernières-sur-Mer (Juno) and then dug in on D-Day 6 June 1944. Thence served with the Canadians, who he held in high regard, till Germany's surrender in May 1945. He shared a lot of interesting stories of his experiences (which weren't uncommon), including of being on the receiving end of German artillery fire, German PWs, French and Dutch people on and on etc . Yet he also shared after I had given him Alexander McKee's book Caen Anvil of Victory to read, that it brought back the memory of the terrible smell of death both human and livestock in Normandy that summer during 1944.
The battle of Caen was the key battle which no one talks about. The Brits and Canadians were fighting all of Germanys best troops on the western front there. 8 Panzer divisions, 3 heavy tank battalions, and 7 infantry divisions at Caen alone. Most were SS. Then more heavy fighting to the North.
@@bmused55 Then imagine any of the other allied nations that took part in the air or at sea, they don't even get a mention. We need to diversify our view of the war. Not just the Americans at Omaha, or Easy Company of the 101st, or the Soviets at Stalingrad, but all major powers, and the minor powers aswell
@@larryvanmillion Are you taking the piss? There are loads of classic British war movies. Some of the best are set during the time when America was still funding Nazi Germany and we were fighting alone
My Great Uncle was part of the first wave to land on Gold Beach. 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment. Unfortunately he didn’t survive. Unbelievable to think at the age of only 28, he was one of the older ones. We owe them all so much. RIP Uncle Bill.
My grandfather was part of the first wave of the Normandy landings. To this day he can't watch any documentary's or movies of the invasion as the littlest things about it set him off. Either a seizure or genuinely just staring at a wall for minutes straight honestly I cannot imagine what he went through.
My great uncle landed with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders of Canada and made it home, I'll be going there in October to walk the same beach where he landed.
I hope you have a fantastic trip...tis on my bucket list...so, I'm heading over in August for two weeks, and really want to visit Point du Hoc, where my uncle, entered and left France since late 1943, in his Mosquito well before D Day, while doing intruder work...:)
My FATHER survived the D-Day Landing; but he could NOT tell me HOW. “Men were dropping all around me like fucking RAIN-drops … “ -it took him over forty YEARS before spoke of it …
A lot of it was down to luck I imagine, with machine gun bullets being sprayed at you, it might miss you but if you would be standing like an inch to the left or right you could catch one in the head. Brave men!
When I was at primary school in the 80s, we had a WW1 veteran (Gallipoli), and former student of the school come to talk to us. He wasn't a professional speaker, just a man who survived, and had his great-grandchildren attending the same school. Even that many years later, he was driven to tears by some of the memories. Being a naive young lad, I did not think about it then, but now, I really admire the bravery he again demonstrated by choosing to talk to a classroom full of 10-11 year old boys about something as personal and traumatic as frontline battle.
How do you process that?! Young lad, watching all those around him drop "like rain drops" and yet he is unscathed. Explosions, gunfire, screams from the wounded, commands from those still alive. What an absolute overload. I cannot imagine the utter stress and fear. Each step could very likely be your last. Each breath the last one. You could be instantly killed or maimed and die slowly. Just so much to process. It's no wonder the survivors took years to talk about it.
I knew the son of a soldier at Omaha..he told me in some detail what his dad said..basically your impulse was to stay on the landing craft to protect you from hail of fire..but the guns would ultimately blow them up..his dad just put his head down and ran as fast as he could..those who stayed on the landing craft were all blown up..
My great granddad was shot in the shoulder but he made it off the beach,my brother has his helmet,he died in 199,I do remember him but I didn't no he was a hero just a lovely old man, everyone involved are heroes, you really bring this home mate, how would I cope mind boggling, when I watched this the way you have done it is touching and respectful ❤️❤️
My father used to tell us about D Day when we were kids. The 6th of June was one of those days like Christmas that you just knew what it was. We always got a sterile version of it. As he got older, it was something that my father went back to. It was only after his death, that the horror and the bravery of it really sunk in. Thinking ofyou all.
I have been in combat myself and it was terrible but the men who ran up the beaches of Normandy were and still are true heroes. My father was one of them and he told me that with him everything in a mental fog and he couldn't hear anything.
I was lucky enough to work with a bloke who’d been there on d-day 30 years ago And when I said I didn’t know how they’d managed to get up that beach in the first wave ,his answer stunned me I’ll never forget it “That was east I was mad I’d been there at Dunkirk I’d run and I was scared and that day it was the turn of the Germans to run and be scared !” It’s a sort of courage I’m glad I’ve never had to see if I’ve got
I had the great privilege of interviewing members of the Normandy Veterans Association in 92 for my undergraduate dissertation. We laughed, we cried, we sat in silence holding hands. I interviewed paratroopers who dropped near Pegasus bridge to the crew of LSI's. They all had a tale to tell and felt able to do so. I received some momentos including a 1944 Christmas card from the KOYLI .Something I will never forget.
My great grandad landed on sword beach as a Bren gunner. He never spoke about it to my grandad or father. What he did say was he was told that he had 2 minutes to live. His number 1 hated artillery was mortars, as you never knew where it would land. His friends drowned after they couldn’t maintain the weight of their gear in the water. He was part of the Suffolks regiment. Assaulting Hilmen 2 miles in land. The yanks were meant to bomb the compound before they advanced. When they got there. They had completely missed and he , the leader of his group of men had to send them through 12 feet of barbed wire and land mines before they reached the bunker. They threw grenades down vents which drew the Germans out to surrender. He did get wounded in the hand by some shrapnel which took him back to Leeds for surgery. He was swiftly sent back to his men to continue on the assault. 30 years later they found out he still had that very shrapnel in his hand. But if it wasn’t for him surviving My Grandad and his brother and sister My dad and his brother and cousins Myself and my two sisters And my sisters two daughters would all cease to exist
So much bravery. Just the thought of all these young men risking, and giving, their lives for the freedom of others leaves me in awe. May they be ever remembered and revered 🌹
People do forget that large lessons were learned and technologocial improvements were made from multiple landings before D-Day. Not just the failed raid at Dieppe but successful joint allied landings in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and also the American landings in the pacific. Still it takes guts, planning and yes a bit of luck to pull off. Also by 1944 the Germans were on the defensive having taken huge losses on the Eastern Front and having to shift large numbers of troops there to slow the Soviet advance that was on the borders of Eastern Prussia itself. These troops amd equipment could have (we will never know) made a difference in the outcome.
I can't watch something about D-Day and just think of the end of Saving Private Ryan. "Earn this". This video brought tears to my eyes, not just because of what was sacrificed, but honestly, how little it is remembered and respected now.
Thank you for making this excellent tribute. I have heard the stories, read books, but there is always something new to learn about the D-day invasion. We must always remember the sacrifices made by the generation that fought the war. It was their hope that future generations would live in peace and not have to endure the same hardships. Looking forward to your next video.
Another amazing video. I work a lot with period clothing and find the section on uniforms and equipment always so well done. Luke and Richard are the dream team, so informative and engaging. More please! 👏✨
I love these types of videos you guys make. They really are a gem! I also love Richard, the guy you have had for a while to help with the WW1 videos. He's great too!
These guys were so brave..just cant comprehend it..I think if I was young and everyone else was doing it I would do it..but I will never know...they did it for me and the free world
Really good documentary, so detailed. Thanks. I have a question however, how did the soldiers keep their weapons from getting sand and muck in, when going over sand beaches? Also, wouldn't sea water be detrimental to their operation? In Saving Private Ryan, there is a soldier with a rifle in a plastic cover. Did they actually have these?
I realized you can’t show every War movie but on the is missing is in my opinion the best at depicting reality of war. The movie is 12 O’Clock High. Too bad it wasn’t included.
We will never forget them. For those who survived been to hell and back. Great honor and great respect. As a South African male I salute you all.....❤😢😢
Had a great uncle who was in the 101st division and survived the first jump and made it home he was in the battle of the bulge never met him sadly cant fathom what thosboys went through so much we owe them to so few who faught for freedom god bless them and grant them peace in this life and the next
When i was 13 i went on school trip to France we visited all the site of d-day went to British and Americans war memorial thre i still remember how shocking it was row of men.
My Grandad was a Royal Engineer, not sure what beach or what wave but he survived it. The Navy man who helped him onto the landing boat from the English coast would later be his Brother in law and my great uncle!
So I have always felt that "surviving D-Day" is in many ways dependent on "luck" rather than skill, at least at various points. I'm sure skill played a bit also for many people, but yeah, it's just one of those things where you hope for the best I suppose!
The question is heavily based on 2 very important factors: what beach sector are we talking about and when does your boat reaches the beach. There have been beach sectors with basically no fighting at all, other were blood baths. If you are in the very first boat you re just donezo. If you boat arrives when the beach was already taken its an entirely different story
Another interesting persective ... Could you survive as a GERMAN soldier? Naval bombardment, overwhelming numbers, allied air superiority, out numbered armor ... Paratroopers behind you ... Resistance cutting you communication and supply lines and sabotage.
Imagine being a German soldier surrendering without knowing which countries soldiers were going to capture you. If British/American/French, you'd be sent back to Germany after the war was over. But if you heard a blyat in the distance, might as well turn the gun on yourself before they get to you
My father was a D, Day veteran survived the landing, and went across Europe, he was in hospital in Lubeck when the war was declared over, spent most of the war in F,O,P spotting for the artillery , and not until my children started asking him about the war did he finally open up, all he wanted was to forget, and from the stories he told I don't blame him, there was no hero talk, nor bragging, he just told it from an ordinary soldiers point of view what happened to him and his mates, many of whom didn't come back, and some of those that did were scarred for life physically, and mentally. Sadly he passed away in 2013 aged 91, greatly missed by all his family, R,I,P dad, and may God bless all those who pay the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free, we shall remember them.
An informative and wonderful historical coverage video about DDAY operations where horrible circumstances, brutalities, and weather's crucially appeared suddenly
I absolutely loved it.. that was a really well done depiction of that day! Just because I have to pick nits, I couldn't help but cringe and laugh a bit when at the 1 hour mark, our man Luke was pointing his Bren straight at the family jewels of his comrade! No debollocker mine needed there !
My husband's father was a very calm man, the only time my husband saw him go into a rage was when he described having to unload ammunition onto the beach the night before the invasion with no weapon cover. I didn't even know this happened, I'd never heard of that part before.
That was interesting, hearing about the "assault vest". Never heard of that one. Almost a precursor of the modern way of carring equipment, except it wasn't modular like Mole'.
For various physical reasons beyond my control, I would never be classified as fit for active frontline duty. If push came to shove, I'd still want to contribute in some way.
To anyone that knows trying to predict the English weather is virtually impossible and have the invasion resting on your decision, it takes big balls to say let's go - Salute
My ex’s PaPa fought for Canada. Survived the landing in Italy fought through the battles there then landed on D Day and survived that. The year before end of war he was shot by MG42 through his right knee and lower right thigh. That was his ticket home and obviously survived being shot. One tough Son of a Bitch. He only told us this story on his death bed and we were grateful that he told us. Thanks to all that serve to protect our freedoms.🇨🇦
I visited Omaha beach a couple of years ago. It was February and the tide wasn’t as low, but we were stood at the top of the bluff. And even then it was a long, run along that flat beach and the first thing I remember thinking was “Oh fuck no, I wouldn’t have made it.”
i remember playing the medal of honor game's d-day level and i died about 20 times before i made it off the beach. so ya..i wouldn't survive, and it probably did take 20 casualties for every 1 that made it
Ha ha I fluked it 1st go and made it across, but didn't do it again 1st time on replay I kept dying to the point I started wondering if my game was broken lol
Of course I couldn't survive D-day, particularly on the beaches; consequently I would be flying an MK XIV spitfire over the fleet and looking over my shoulder for USAAF P51s, and their pilots, who have (supposedly) been to aircraft recognition classes, but clearly couldn't distinguish a spitfire from a flying pocket battleship. So I am in equal peril, but enjoying the view. Absolute heros on the beaches and all the way to Berlin - if there was a time machine, i'd be proud to measure myself against these heros and be found wanting.
Awesome vid here guys, you’ve done an amazing job! WWII isn’t my favourite period of history, but this is by far the best documentary and mini series you’ve produced. Luke’s not asking stupid questions and making the information being told very enjoyable. Would love to see more of this quality of production through different eras of time. Very well done 👍🏽
I like the irony of Mulberrys being made from the rubble of blitzed houses. It reminds me of the years I spent investigating a Bomber Command airfield in Suffolk. Much of the hardcore foundations for runways and perimeter tracks was made up of bricks from bombed East End houses. Some of those bricks had plaster and even floral pattern wallpaper still attached. We must never forget the sacrifice made for our freedom.
Re: the slaughter of American troops on Omaha beach, there's a book called WM62 which details a Single German machine gunners role in the death of at least 400 US soldiers on D Day. A must read.
It's often quoted that the average age of a Viet Nam soldier was 19. The average age of a WW2 soldier was older. What is missed is that there were far more drafted for WW2, so inevitably you'd have older people as well as the young, making the average go up. When it comes to the front line though you are less likely to put middle-aged men there, just from a point of fitness. Few sports people have active careers above 30. Lugging around anything up to 100lbs of equipment every day is demanding even without fighting. Some of the units of the later-war German army with older men were apparently dubbed stomach battalions because they had a lot of stomach complaints. But older guys could still do jobs further from the line releasing younger guys to go to the front. Demographics played a part in the war. The German Generals were, mostly, older than their allied counterparts. They started the war with Germans in their late teens or early twenties and ended the war with school kids, old men, and guys that weren't even German (ironic given their ideology).
The question of 'could you survive?' comes down to many variables - which wave of which sector of which beach, and probably most crucially, was fortune smiling upon you?
