Seventy years on we look back on The US Ranger’s preparations in Weymouth and Portland for the D-Day Invasion of Normandy in these rarely seen historic archive videos taken during the final preparations in early June 1944.
They set the scene for Weymouth at War an event being planned to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of D-day when the town will turn back the clock for weekend of the 21st / 22nd of June 2014.
We’ll be bringing more news of the Weymouth at War plans soon for now we hope these recently released videos of US Rangers preparing for D-Day will help set the scene …
Colour Footage Taken 5 June 1944 as US Rangers Board Landing Craft in Weymouth Harbour Bound For The Normandy Beaches
U.S. Army Rangers in Weymouth, England, prior to  D-Day
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Pre-invasion activities of United States Army Rangers in Weymouth, England during World War 2. The rangers walk past an American Red Cross tent,adjacent to Greenhill Gardens, Weymouth, where they receive coffee and dough nuts before sailing. A sign at the tent reads: “From the folks back home through the American Red Cross.” A US guard and a British guard patrol Weymouth Seafront, in front of the Jubilee clock. An insignia on the ramp of a Landing Ship Tank (LST) reads ‘357’ and shows a stork carrying a baby with the words ‘We Deliver’. The ramp is raised. Location: Weymouth England. Date: June 3, 1944.
Allied amphibious force assembling in Weymouth, prior to D-Day invasion of Normandy, in World War II
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Allied amphibious forces assembling in Weymouth Harbor and Portland Harbor, England, in preparation for the invasion of Normandy, France during World War 2. U.S. Army halftrack backing onto a Landing Craft Tank ( LCT), alongside Stone pier, Castletown, Portland, England. U.S. Navy transport ship, USS Thurston (AP-77), in Portland harbor, with several of her assault boats beside her. The Coast Guard 83-foot Cutter PC-617, of USCG Rescue Flotilla No. 1, seen alongside the Thurston. The U.S.Navy transport, USS Dorothea L. Dix (P-67) at anchor. Numerous amphibious assault craft side-by-side in a harbor. Location: England. Date: June 4, 1944.
US army prepares in Weymouth for D-Day invasion of Normandy, France during World War II.
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US army preparations in Weymouth, England a day prior to D-Day invasion of Normandy, France during World War II. Two US officers confer with representative of US Transportation Corps. Convoy of 2 ½ ton cargo trucks move up on road. US troops march up road past camouflaged tanks. Location: Weymouth England. Date: June 5, 1944.
A US convoy underway in a channel during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France in World War II.
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A US convoy underway for the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France in World War II. The bow of a ship cuts into water. The convoy includes LSTs (Landing Ship, Tanks), LCTs (Landing Craft, Tanks), and LCs (Landing Crafts) underway in a channel. Location: Normandy France. Date: June 1944.
Footage from http://www.criticalpast.com
We live on Brunswick Terrace and during the war troops were posted in our houses. Internal doors were put in leading from one house to the other, so if there was an invasion from the sea and up the beach, the troops could escape along the terrace. The doors have since been blocked up but you can see the outline of that in some of the houses.
Thank you Linda for this it’s something we hadn’t heard before. The buildings along the seafront have many stories to tell …
My dad was A D Day veteran and was stationed in Weymouth for quite a while during the war. He served on many ships and also MTB,s and landing crafts .He didnt talk about it much when we where growing up ,but later on he joined the R N A and he was also the chairman of the Oldham and district Normandy veterans, association.When he and is Crewmate,s where on leave they used to frequent the boot pub on chapel hay,and somewhere under all the paint on the ceiling should be his and his mates names .IS name was jack lees and he was from Oldham ,He died nearly ten years ago, but the send off he got from is comrade,s made us even more proud of him and what he stood for…