D-Day Was Arguably the Most Definitive Battle of the Second World War

It was on this day (6 June) in 1944 when the Normandy Landings, more commonly referred to as D-Day, took place in Normandy, France – then under Nazi Germany occupation. Remembering D-Day should happen more often than just every June 6th but, today especially, let’s remember D-Day and the estimated 600 Welsh soldiers who were involved.

Turning of the Tide

Though many might argue that the tide had already begun to turn in favour of the Allies at this point, many more might also cite D-Day as being the key moment for the Allies during the Second World War and the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany’s grasp on the European continent.

Almost 900 years prior, William the Conqueror set sail with his armies from Normandy to Britain. This time, the British were a part of the single largest seaborne invasion in history, with Normandy being the destination.

Remembering D-Day & the Numbers Involved

On the Allied side, approximately 156,000 soldiers and 195,700 naval personnel from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, France, Australia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Greece, South Africa and what was then Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) were involved. The Nazis, though heavily outnumbered with approximately 50,350+ soldiers, had the advantage of the defensive position and 170 coastal artillery guns which could inflict heavy losses on the Allies long before they even landed. For many Allied soldiers, it was a suicide mission.

Of the 156,000 Allied soldiers, around 600 Welshmen from the South Wales Borderers regiment were involved in the landings, including RAF veteran Bill Davies, 102 (Porthcawl, Bridgend county); Royal Engineer Richard Thomas Pelzer, 101 (Swansea) and Navy gunner Don Jones, 100 (Mold, Flintshire). Whereas I have been unable to find how many Welsh casualties occurred on D-Day, it is estimated that around 15,000 Welsh soldiers lost their lives during the entirety of the Second World War.

The Message

Remember the sacrifices that they made; celebrate the veterans who are still with us and let’s all do our best to ensure that another war of this magnitude may never take place.

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Niklas George

Niklas is the founder, owner, manager, editor, writer, video creator, voice over artist, and so forth, of Welsh Histories. He is passionate about the preservation of Welsh culture; the rejuvenation of the Welsh language and the promotion of Welsh history. Niklas currently resides in Pune, Maharashtra, with his beloved wife.