Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches

Operation Neptune

• Operation Neptune → assault phase of Operation Overlord

• Land troops on beaches

• Began on D-Day (6 June 1944)

• Ended on 30 June 1944

• Initial assault:

• Five-division front between Orne River & Cotentin Peninsula

• Region divided into 5 landing beaches:

• Utah• Omaha• Gold• Juno• Sword

Overview

Gold, Juno, & Sword Beach Responsibility of the British-

dominated Eastern Task Force British 50th Infantry Division &

Canadian 3rd Infantry Division Sword & Juno Beach landing

went smoothly Landings began at 0730 &

0735 British & Canadian divisions

inland by afternoon Gold Beach landing faced

more obstacles Landing at 0725 Loss of landing craft

Delayed force buildup Secured by nightfall

Jun

o

Beach

Gold

B

each

Gold Beach50th (Northumbrian)

Infantry DivisionCommanded by Major

General Douglas GrahamMajor General Wilhelm

Richter's German 716th Infantry Division

Weak German response to attack

Beach secured by end of morning

413 casualties

Juno Beach3rd Canadian Infantry

Division15,000 Canadian9,000 British

Major General Rodney Keller

First landing → 0745 961 casualties

Sword Beach3rd Infantry DivisionMajor General Tom

RennieInvasion launched on 5

Jun 1944 at 2256 (10:56PM)

Germans suffer light casualties from pre-invasion bombardment

Secured by end of 7 Jun630 casualties Key to Normandy

landings success

British & Canadian ForcesForces landing and areas of departure:

• "Gold" Beach - British 30th Corps from Southampton area

• "Juno" Beach - Canadian forces of British 1st Corps from Portsmouth area

• "Sword" Beach - British 1st Corps from Newhaven area

• Follow-up - British armored division from Thames area

Naval Task Forces and Commanders:

Rear-Adm. Sir P Vian

SummaryAssault Phase Warships

Battleships 3 RNCruisers 13 (12 RN, 1 Allied) Destroyers & escorts

84 (74 RN, 3 French, 7 Allied)

Other warships, incl. minesweepers & coastal forces

248 (217 RN, 30 US, 1 Allied)

Total Warships 348 (306 RN, 30 US, 3 French,

9 Allied) Major

Amphibious Forces

Landing & Ferry Vessels

LSIs, landing ships & craft

955 (893 RN, 62 US)

Ferry service vessels & landing craft

316 (RN & US)

Totals incl. Warships 1,619

Minor landing craft 1,155