The bravery of D-Day as seen like never before: Colourised images show fearless Allied heroes storming the beaches of Normandy 75 years ago
- D-Day landings saw tens of thousands of Allied troops land in northern France to invade mainland Europe
- The battle, which saw up to 19,000 killed in a single day, was the largest amphibious assault ever launched
- Newly-colourised images show American soldiers tending to the wounded, and British troops moving ashore
- US Rangers are also shown relaxing on a captured beachhead and at Pointe du Hoc after capturing it
Dramatic images have shone fresh light on what it was like for Allied troops storming the beaches of Normandy on D-Day after being rendered in colour for the first time.
They show American troops tending to the wounded on one of the beachheads and British troops digging defensive fortifications before moving ashore.
Others, taken in the aftermath of the battle, show US Rangers relaxing on a captured beach while others stand among the ruins of a German defensive position at Pointe du Hoc.
American military hardware and troops are also seen being brought ashore as the Allies begin to expand their toe-hold in Europe after an intense day of fighting.
Dramatic photos showing the D-Day landings of June 6, 1944, have been rendered in colour for the first time - giving a new glimpse into what it was like for Allied troops on that fateful day. Here, American medics give a blood transfusion to a wounded soldier on one of beaches in the hopes of evacuating him back to England
British troops, having captured Sword beach under only light German fire, reinforce their position. Such defences would prove useful as the 21st Panzer Division mounted the only serious German counter-attack of D-Day here later in the day. The 192nd Panzer Grenadier Regiment managed to reach the beach itself, before being repulsed by anti-tank fire
Having established control over Sword Beach, Royal Marine Commandos attached to the 3rd Infantry Division moved inland in search of airborne troops who dropped earlier in the day (pictured). By 1pm contact had been established and the soldiers had taken control of bridges spanning the Orne waterway, denying the Germans a chance to reinforce from the east. In the background is a bridgelayer, a vehicle designed to span the river in the event Nazi troops destroyed the crossing points
American supply trucks, armoured vehicles and artillery pieces pour ashore after the beach assault was complete on D-Day. In the the skies above are barrage balloons, which had thick cables attached to their undersides which was designed to entangle and bring down dive-bombing aircraft
D-Day - June 6, 1944 - saw tens of thousands of Allied troops storm the beaches and drop from the skies in Normandy in an attempt to break into Hitler's 'fortress Europe'.
While the Allies failed to achieve a single one of their main objectives that day, they did gain a foothold in northern France, spelling the beginning of the end for Hitler and the Nazis.
Over the coming months the Allies would drive the Nazis back to Berlin while the Russians surged across eastern Europe, catching Hitler in a pincer from which he could not escape.
The Nazi leader would kill himself in his Berlin bunker on April 30, 1945, while surrounded by Red Army troops. Germany would surrender days later, on May 8, bringing the war in Europe to an end.
American troops roll into Europe following the fighting on D-Day. While the Allies failed to achieve a single key objective on the first day of fighting, they managed to gain a toe-hold on the European mainland, which they would use to roll the Nazis back to Berlin, where they would ultimately be crushed by the Russians
American soldiers relax on one of the beaches following the fighting on D-Day. It was the US army that took the heaviest casualties during the invasion, having been tasked with capturing two of the most heavily defended sections of the beach - code named Omaha and Utah. It was at Omaha that the fighting was particularly brutal, as the incoming landing craft were scattered by wind, while the Allied bombardment missed many key German defensive positions
US Rangers relax in a destroyed German defensive position at Pointe du Hoc, as they watch capture German prisoners being led past in the background. In order to capture the positions on top of this cliff, the Rangers had to scale it using rope ladders fired from landing craft as they came ashore, a feat they accomplished in just a few minutes despite coming under heavy fire
American troops wade ashore several days after the invasion, when German resistance had been pushed well inland. Up to 19,000 troops are thought to have died on D-Day itself - 10,000 Allied and 9,000 Germans - in what would spell the beginning of the end for Hitler and the Nazis
The elite bands of brothers who were the first troops into Normandy on D-Day
Operation Overlord saw some 156,000 Allied troops landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944.
It is thought as many as 4,400 were killed in an operation Winston Churchill described as 'undoubtedly the most complicated and difficult that has ever taken place'.
The assault was conducted in two phases: an airborne landing of 24,000 British, American, Canadian and Free French airborne troops shortly after midnight, and an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armoured divisions on the coast of France commencing at 6.30am.
The operation was the largest amphibious invasion in world history, with over 160,000 troops landing. Some 195,700 Allied naval and merchant navy personnel in over 5,000 ships were involved.
The operation was the largest amphibious invasion in world history, with over 160,000 troops landing. Some 195,700 Allied naval and merchant navy personnel in over 5,000 ships were involved.
The landings took place along a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
The assault was chaotic with boats arriving at the wrong point and others getting into difficulties in the water.
Destruction in the northern French town of Carentan after the invasion in June 1944
Troops managed only to gain a small foothold on the beach - but they built on their initial breakthrough in the coming days and a harbour was opened at Omaha.
They met strong resistance from the German forces who were stationed at strongpoints along the coastline.
Approximately 10,000 allies were injured or killed, inlcuding 6,603 American, of which 2,499 were fatal.
Between 4,000 and 9,000 German troops were killed - and it proved the pivotal moment of the war, in the allied forces' favour.
The first wave of troops from the US Army takes cover under the fire of Nazi guns in 1944
18 and 19 year old kids of that generation faced c...
by DC Clark 373