The Liberation of Europe

On June 5, 1944, General Eisenhower took advantage of a break in stormy weather to order the invasion of Europe, this became known as the largest invasion force in military history. The operation was given the codename Overlord. Their objective was to land five naval assault divisions on the beaches Normandy France. The beaches were given the codenames UTAH, OMAHA, GOLD, JUNO and SWORD. The invasion force included 7,000 ships and landing craft manned by over 195,000 naval personnel from eight allied countries. Almost 133,000 troops from England, Canada and the United States landed on D-Day. On June 5th one British and two U.S. Airborne divisions dropped behind the beaches, at sunrise on the 6th British US and Canadian troops began to move ashore.

The cross-Channel passage of over 6000 naval and transport craft, including 6 battleships, 23 cruisers, 104 destroyers and over 4000 landing craft, forming 75 convoys, was protected and supported by approximately 12000 aircraft. Two artificial harbours (Mulberries) were towed up the English Channel, a pipeline (PLUTO) was laid under the ocean on the seabed to supply fuel from England to Normandy. Mine Sweepers from Dover were busy keeping the English Channel clear, Allied planes dropped silver foil to give the impression of massed planes and ships crossing from Dover. Around Dover and in the fields of Kent wooden Tanks were placed complete with camouflage, Dover harbour had fleets of mock landing craft to German reconnaissance aircraft it all looked real even down to the camouflage. From the control rooms deep under Dover Castle army signal traffic was sent by landline to fool German intelligence, double agents planted stories and documents with known German spies. The Germans thought the Normandy landings were a diversion and kept back reserves of tanks and troops in the Calais area to counter what they thought would be the real invasion. By the time they realized it was too late the Normandy bridgehead had been secured.

Residents of Dover watched from the Seafront and cliff tops as huge convoys passed through the Straights of Dover (''Pas de Calais"). . It still remains a mystery how such a large convoy passed through the narrow straights of Dover without taking heavy losses from the German Gun Emplacements on the French coast.

One of the casualties was the SS Sambut which was hit, one crew member had been killed together with eighteen soldiers, before she was brought close in shore near Shakespeare Cliff. On June 7th Dover took a pounding from German guns on the French coast, shells exploded at Westmount, Folkestone Road, Snargate Street, Queen's Avenue, Malmains Road, Clarendon Place, Kitchener Road and Albany Place.