Operation Overlord – Het uur-u

Today, 81 years ago, the liberation of Western Europe began in Normandy with the landing of more than 160,000 soldiers. The beaches of Normandy were divided into five sectors during the Allied invasion, bearing the now-historic code names: Juno, Omaha, Utah, Sword, and Gold. Along with “D-Day” and “Operation Overlord,” these names have become symbols of history. In many locations, paratroopers and gliders carrying troops and equipment landed inland to move toward the beaches and link up with the soldiers advancing from the coast. Villages like Sainte-Mère-Église (famous for the paratrooper on the church) and Pegasus Bridge have since become world-renowned.

Operation Overlord

The Normandy landing in 1944, known as Operation Overlord, marked the beginning of the invasion of Nazi-occupied Western Europe. The goal was to establish a foothold in Normandy and begin the liberation of Western Europe, ultimately ending the Nazi occupation. It was a massive logistical operation requiring meticulous planning, international cooperation, equipment, communication, and the efforts of hundreds of thousands of troops — a feat never before witnessed.

In addition to the 160,000 soldiers, over 3,000 ships, 4,000 landing craft, and 15,000 aircraft were deployed.

The operation began in the early hours of June 6th with airborne landings followed by a massive amphibious assault. Ground combat continued until August 22nd, as Allied forces worked to secure and expand the beachhead, eventually breaking out and leading to the liberation of Paris. It remains one of the most iconic campaigns of WWII. The term “D-Day” is now almost exclusively associated with this historic landing. Even after the initial invasion, it took two more months of heavy fighting to liberate all of Normandy. It’s estimated that the Battle of Normandy claimed the lives of approximately 68,000 German and 63,000 Allied soldiers.

The Zero Hour

Contrary to popular belief, the “D” in D-Day does not stand for “Decision.” It is a common misunderstanding. The U.S. military uses the term “D-Day” to denote the day on which a military operation is set to begin — with “D” simply standing for “Day.” The same applies to “H” for “Hour.” In Dutch, this concept is also known: “Het Uur U” (The Zero Hour).

Arromanches Harbor

Beyond the immense human cost paid by those who landed and fought to secure our freedom, there was also a major logistical challenge: how to supply the soldiers with food, water, ammunition, and weapons? Once the beachhead in Normandy was secured, an artificial harbor was constructed at Arromanches to enable the continuous flow of supplies and reinforcements. The floating pontoons laid in the sea can still be seen to this day.

PLUTO Program

And how to fuel all those jeeps, trucks, and tanks? In secret, underwater fuel pipelines were laid across the seabed. The PLUTO project (Pipe-Line Underwater Transport of Oil) was developed in 1942 by British engineers in collaboration with Allied military forces. The aim was to meet the fuel demands of troops as part of the amphibious invasion. After the Normandy landings, a pipeline was laid under the Channel from the Isle of Wight (Shanklin Chine) to Querqueville in Normandy between August 12 and 21, 1944, connecting Britain and France over a 130 km stretch.

The pipeline network expanded inland, following the advance of the Allied front line and supplying fuel depots in towns like La-Haye-du-Puits, Lessay, Saint-Lô, and Vire. In Normandy, Allied fuel services could supply fuel directly at the pump, and thousands of jerrycans lined up to receive the precious fuel. Once loaded onto trucks, they were distributed to frontline units and the supply chain continued.

A total of seventeen pipelines (eleven HAIS models and six HAMEL models) were eventually laid between Britain and Pas-de-Calais (from Dungeness to Ambleteuse). By January 1945, 305 tons of fuel were transported daily across the Channel. Between August 1944 and May 1945, some 781,000 cubic meters of fuel made the underwater journey from Britain to France.

Freedom

By the summer of 1945, all of Europe had been liberated, and shortly after, Japan surrendered — finally bringing an end to WWII. It is difficult to imagine, in these confusing times, that in June 1944 so many countries joined forces to fight for freedom. Let us hope that the tide turns soon, and peace can return to our troubled world.

“Lest we forget.”