Video of D-Day

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 28/08/2012 13:07:24

This video is a compilation of films of D-Day from the Fox Movietone News Collection and the C.E. Feltner, JR. Collection.
Some extraordinary footage here from which we have all seen some stills...

The first 23 seconds are from Feltner's collection of US Signal Corps films. The opening scene shows U.S. soldiers in a Royal Navy Landing Craft Assault (LCA) approaching what may be 'Dog Green' on the western expanse of Omaha Beach.

The soldiers are probably from the 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division.

The second sequence features the more famous landing craft (the Higgins boat - technically called Landing Craft Vehicle, Personnel or LCVP) approaching Omaha at a different sector.

Scenes 3 to 5 show the desolation of the early morning at Omaha. Exposed American soldiers struggle step by step forward. One falls alone on the beach after being struck by a German bullet, which can be seen splashing into the surf after passing through the soldier.
The final sequence from Omaha was taken from the safety of the chalk cliffs of the Omaha beachhead, looking westward as the Omaha landings founder.

The Feltner collection also contains the famous film of Canadian forces from the Queen's Own Rifles debarking from an LCA at Juno Beach - this sequence was filmed by Canadian Film Photographic Unit (CFPU) cameraman, Bill Grant.
There is also a still unidentified clip of British or Canadian forces landing somewhere along the beachhead.

The films from the Fox Movietone Collection begin one minute into this compilation and feature British forces in action at Sword Beach. Unlike the films of Omaha from the Feltner Collection these films were censored and released to American newsreel companies.

Cameramen of the British No.5 Army Film and Photographic Unit (No5 AFPU) shot all of these films. We can identify some of these cameramen by the hand written slates they used to indentify their films.

They are: Sgt. George Laws, Sgt. Richard Leatherbarrow and Sgt. Norman Clague (who was killed in action six days later).

The initial scenes of British forces debarking from the LCA depict elements of Lord Lovat's No4 Commando coming ashore near Ouistreham.
This film may have been shot by Sgt George Laws. George landed on Sword Beach with No 4 Commando at 07.45 am. There were a number of other photographers with the Commandos (1 was killed, several wounded), but George Laws was first ashore.

Equally at home using a cine or still photography camera, he initially shot footage on a DeVry as his landing craft came in to the beaches. When the camera's clockwork spring failed early on in the landings, he switched to still photography, using a Super Ikonta for the rest of the day...

George continued to cover the Allied advance across Europe to Berlin until 2 June 1945. His assignments during this time included the liberation of Belsen.

Other scenes feature units of what is probably the British 3rd Infantry Division fighting in and around Ouistreham off Sword Beach.

http://library.sc.edu/mirc/playVideo.html?i=152

Nick

Fascinating footage.

John M

If I remember correctly, the photographer who was killed was Sgt. Clague, a Manxman. I believe he was sheltering in a damaged building with some Commandos when it received a direct hit.

Fabulous raw footage Nick, thanks.

Makes you feel as though you're queing behind them to hit the beaches.

Regards

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 06/09/2012 02:39:44

Peter Cooper wrote:If I remember correctly, the photographer who was killed was Sgt. Clague, a Manxman. I believe he was sheltering in a damaged building with some Commandos when it received a direct hit.

Yes as mentioned Norman Clague was killed on 12 June at Amfreville. The link below is a photo from the IWM Collection which shows Sgt Clague's grave in amongst those of the Commandos with whom he landed on D-Day.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205216959

Nick

It makes you wonder how many of those young men smiling for the cameras actually made it through to the end and went home.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 28/08/2012 19:05:42

There is information about the death of Sgt. William Norman Clague on the No.6 Commando website. He was with No.6 Commando at the time:

http://www.6commando.com/Pages/Other%20Ranks/OR%20Pages/C/Clague%20WN/OR%20Clague%20WN.html

He is also on the Roll of Honour of the Army Film and Photographic Unit website:

http://www.afpu.co.uk/

In Memory of 3775712 Sergeant William Norman Clague
The King's Regiment (Liverpool), 8th (Irish) Bn. attd. No.5 Army Film & Photographic Sec.
who died on the 12th June 1944 aged 26
Remembered with honour at Ranville War Cemetery

Just a reminder of the photos taken by L/Cpl Ken Emmerson, of Amfreville and other locations, as 1st SS Brigade advanced which are in our gallery, including this one where the gliders can be seen in distance, and the cookhouse (where Sgt Clague was apparently sheltering when a shell hit) is pointed out also:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/HQ+and+Sigs/1+SS+Bde/jde1512.jpg.html

Here is a link to a short IWM film regarding Army photographers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=S_1T0DrzgIU

and a link to the IWM's exhibition of Cecil Beaton - an official war photographer

http://www.iwm.org.uk/exhibitions/iwm-london/cecil-beaton-theatre-of-war

nicK

Just for information : As reported in the local Ouest France newspaper the Pegasus museum are having an exhibition of cameras that were used during the D-Day landings. The exhibition is in hommage to the photographers Norman Clague who landed with N°6 Commando at Sword beach and to William Christie who parchuted in with 6 Division.

http://www.ouest-france.fr/une-collection-unique-dappareils-photos-2164739