The Logistics Buildup to D-Day

Chris Barrington -Brown, 7th March 2025

Members were treated to a rather fascinating presentation recently, regarding the often overlooked activities prior to the D-Day landings, when huge numbers of men, machines and support equipment were marshalled along the South Coast of England, prior to the invasion of Normandy on the 6th June 1944.

Chris has dedicated a great deal of time and effort to mapping the various locations and activities that were involved, and created a living project that records a vast amount of data supporting this important time in the history of WW2.

The result of all this work is a web based resource, that you can visit by following the link below:

https://storymaps.com/stories/eba3a28137b44d8db9fa5b7fa4e851e8

As might be expected, locations around Salisbury were mentioned, such as Grovely Woods, where ammunition dumps were sited.

An extract from Chris’s map project:

“Background on the logistic build-up – The invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944 has been written about time and time again. The heroism and technology that achieved so much has been well documented. However, an old military phrase that ‘tactics is the art of the logistically possible’ rings very true. Without the vast support of accomodation, food, equipment, ammunition, mapping, training, medical, fuel and the many other ‘sinews of war’ the operation could not have taken place, let alone been successful. This site hopes to provide pointers to some of that support.

From the early part of 1942, just after the USA declared war on the Axis powers, Operation Bolero started to pour men and material into the UK. Meanwhile the UK, with help from the Empire, particularly Canada, was building up its reserves and beginning to plan for the return to continental Europe. After the Casablanca conference in Jan 43 it was decided to set up an embryonic organisation known as COSSAC (Chief of Staff Supreme Allied Commander) to begin planning the cross-channel operation (see  https://history.army.mil/documents/cossac/Cossac.htm ). Although much of their work was focused on ‘the far shore’, huge effort was devoted to the logistics for mounting. This story map tries to answer 3 questions:

1. How did the logistics work?

2. What happened in any particular place in England or Wales? (sorry to miss out on Scotland and Northern Ireland, but suitable mapping has been difficult to obtain)

3. Where did particular units go to on their route from home base through Concentration and Marshalling to Embarkation?

Question 3 will take much effort from many people to document, although I have made a start. I hope that the answers to questions 1 and 2 are at least partially answered by this Story Map.”

It really is a fascinating project/subject.

Chris’s presentation is available to watch on YouTube at the following location:

All agreed that is was a very interesting presentation. Some members adjourned to the New Inn for further refelction and a convivial lunch.

Many thanks to Chris for his presentation, and Mike for arrangeing.