When Montgomery took over command of 21st Army Group the COSSAC plan only had three beaches. He promptly up-scaled the enterprise inserting two new beaches including GOLD and, what is more, he had just the boys to land there the veteran 50th Northumbrian Division who had fought with the Eighth Army and landed in Sicily. They were joined by the southern regulars of 231 Brigade who already had two assault landings under their belt and they would need every bit of experience to overcome Hitler's Atlantic Wall.
This film covers the build up, assault landing and cleaning of the beatches of Nazi-occupied France. The action is accompanied by expert commentary of the bombardment by air and sea, some of it shot on the decks and turrets of HMS Belfast, as well as on the actual ground where the action took place almost seventy years ago.
69 Brigade had a difficult but successful landing, including the first of his actions that ultimately brought Sergeant Major Stanley Hollis the only D Day Victoria Cross. Thanks to him they were soon heading inland. Meanwhile, all kinds of problems had beset 231 Brigade and the success of their landing was in jeopardy. The veteran Dorsets, Hampshires and Devons got on with their tasks without tanks and artillery thanks to a single surviving anti-tank gun and a massive crater on the only viable route off the beach. Despite these difficulties 50th Division were heading from Gold Beach, towards their distant objectives by mid morning.
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