Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery

The landings in Normandy, known widely as D-Day, marked a pivotal moment in the Second World War. This immense seaborne operation, codenamed Operation Neptune, commenced the liberation of France and Western Europe. It was the beginning of the end for German forces on the Western Front and was the largest invasion of its kind ever undertaken.

Careful planning, starting in 1943, involved elaborate deceptive measures to mislead German defences. The chosen date for the landings, 6 June 1944, was subject to critical tidal and lunar conditions, allowing only a narrow window of opportunity. The initial assault combined extensive aerial and naval bombardments with a significant airborne deployment of troops from American, British, and Canadian forces.