This map was left to me by my father who served in the Royal Navy during WW2. He commanded a landing craft that landed US Rangers on this section of Omaha Beach on D-day, most of whom were quickly killed. My father was lucky to get through it unscathed. I remember him telling me how the troops became seasick on the boat and how he got them to bail, using their helmets, to keep them occupied. This piece of paper, 22inches by 17,(on the reverse are tables and graphs showing tide times and heights) shows the meticulous planning that went into the operation. But it makes me sad when I think of the slaughter that happened on that and subsequent terrible days. It is a link between me, my family and my community and one of the great events in modern history.
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