D-Day Landing Sites Then and Now
Normandy Beaches in 1944 and 70 Years Later
On June 6, 1944, Allied soldiers descended on the beaches of Normandy for D-Day, an operation that turned the tide of the Second World War against the Nazis, marking the beginning of the end of the conflict.
Today [2014], as many around the world prepare to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the landings, pictures of tourists soaking up the sun on Normandy's beaches stand in stark contrast to images taken around the time of the invasion.
Reuters photographer Chris Helgren compiled archive pictures taken during the invasion and went back to the same places to photograph them as they appear today.
400 Squadron was heavily involved in the lead-up to D-Day taking many of the aerial reconnaissance photos used in planning and carrying out the invasion.
Thanks to Chuck Darrow (411 Squadron) for the heads up on the article published in the International Business Times from which the captions/write-up and photos in the video and slide show below were taken.
Video created by Bill Bishop
CBC ARCHIVES
For those who may be interested, the following are three pieces from the CBC archives which contain some interesting information about the D-Day Landings
FIELDS OF SACRIFICE
This 1964 documentary returns to the battlefields where over 100,000 Canadian soldiers lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. The film also visits cemeteries where servicemen are buried. Filmed from Hong Kong to Sicily, this documentary is designed to show Canadians places they have reason to know but may not be able to visit. Produced for the Canadian Department of Veteran Affairs by the renowned documentary filmmaker Donald Brittain.
