Senior Head's Blog: D-Day

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that saw over 5,000 ships and landing craft land more than 150,000 troops on five beaches in Normandy.  It was then, and remains now, the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare.  

The invasion marked the start of Operation Overlord, that saw the beginning of the assault on Nazi-occupied France, and ultimately the beginning of the end of World War Two, although there would be a great deal of hardship, loss of life and suffering before that point was reached.  The Allies had effectively departed Northern Europe in 1940, with the evacuation from Dunkirk (captured so powerfully in Christopher Nolan's film of 2017).  

The planning for D-Day had taken over a year (and probably longer), supported by deception strategies, designed to convince the Germans that the invasion would be in Norway or Pas de Calais.  Dummy inflatable tanks were used to convince the Germans that the Allies had more tanks than they really did, while also masking the preparations for the invasion.  

By 1944, there were over 2 million troops from more than 12 different countries in Britain, with the majority of those taking part on D-Day being British, American and Canadian, but with further troops from Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic), Holland, France, Greece, New Zealand, Norway, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and Poland.  

Although the 6th of June will stay in the memory as the crucial date, the Battle of Normandy was only started with the landings.  It took nearly three months for the battle to be won, leaving the Nazi forces in retreat out of France by the end of August 1944.  

We know of one Felstedian who fell on D-Day itself, a young man called John Allen.  John had joined Felsted in January 1937 and the school archives hold a letter that he wrote to his parents shortly after arriving:

21st January 1937

Dearest Mummy and Daddy,

I hope you got home all right night before last.  The boys here are nearly all decent chaps.  This morning (20th) we had Chapel.  After Chapel Mr Bickersteth had a word with the new boys (there are about 15 of us) and then we went to the museum and waited till we were tested by the music-master for the choir.  

I have not asked about you coming to see me yet, but if you are permitted to, I think it would be better not to come for the first few weeks.  Of course, I'd like you to come awfully, but I think it would be best not to till I have settled down.  

I am feeling rather homesick, but please don't let Mr Bickersteth know, because he said it was best to write cheerfully home.  I hope the term passes quickly.  I expect I won't mind it so much later on.  We are playing hockey this term.  Silly game!  I wish we had rugger, better still cricket.

Writing again soon,

Lots of love from

John

When he wrote this, John was 13, and just seven years later, he was commanding a flail tank in the assault on Sword beach.  Flails were tanks fitted with a revolving drum on the front to which were attached weighted chains to thrash the ground and set off mines, or cutters to go through barbed wire. 

'As the assault wave closed with the shore, commanders sealed down their hatches. It was now about twenty-five minutes past seven on June 6 1944. Queen Red beach was tougher still [Queen Red Beach was part of Sword Beach] and the defence was grim and fanatical.  Flails on the outer lane, commanded by Lieutenant J. Allen and Corporal Johnson, were met by heavy fire from an emplaced 75mm gun as soon as the ramps went down. Before it was clear of the waterline Lieutenant Allen's tank was hit three times, and he and three good men of his crew (Lance-Corporal James and Troopers Thomas and McShand) were killed.'

The number of those still with us who experienced D-Day in 1944 is now vanishingly small, but the bravery and sense of duty shown shines a light for us after all of these years.  

Chris

Chris Townsend,
Head, Felsted School

 

John Allen - 1st XV Rugby 1939