History

11:05: the Hillman complex of fortifications is holding back the British advance towards Caen. The fortifications are very tough, although the defenders seem low on morale. Some surrenderers ask if this is just a raid. Private Lionel Roebuc, frustrated at the battle, enters a pillbox and smashes a portrait of Hitler on the wall, angry "all the trouble that chap had caused us".

10:45: at Caen prison, a wave of executions of French resistance fighters has taken place, and the bodies are now being buried in flowerbeds.

10:30: Rommel cancels a meeting with Hitler, where he would have asked for panzers to be sent to Normandy, and begins the drive to France immediately. His car reaches 90mph as he shouts "Tempo! Tempo! Tempo!" to his driver.

09:32: John Snagge of the BBC announces that landings have taken place on the northern coast of France.

09:05: Hitler is now finally awake. Informed of the situation, he is relieved that finally something has happened. But the real invasion, he believes, is coming for Calais.

07:35: landings at Juno beach.

07:30: landings at Gold.

07:25: landings at Sword Beach.

06:35: At the Pointe du Hoc, bizarre scenes unfurl as Rangers are climbing to the top to take the cliffs. But German gunners are throwing grenades and stones like it is a castle siege.

It is apparent something is very wrong at Omaha Beach. Many men are up to a mile away from where they should be and are lost. The dead and dying are scattered everywhere, whilst the wounded are slowly drowned by the rising tide.

06:30: landings begin at Omaha and Utah beach.

06:00: A broadcast from Eisenhower to the French civilians - "The lives of many of you depend on the speed with which you obey. Leave your towns at once – stay off the roads – go on foot and take nothing with you that is difficult to carry. Do not gather in groups which may be mistaken for enemy troops."

04:45: As paradrops continue, local German officers speculate that this is, in fact, a diversion - the drops are too chaotic and dispersed. Indeed, some are - General Marcks is confused by dummies dropped nearby. John Steele, a paratrooper, is recovering after playing dead for two hours whilst suspended from the church spire in Sainte-Mère-Église. British troops are massacred taking the Merville Battery (above). They are nonetheless successful.

04:30: Von Rundstedt has quickly realised the gravity of the situation and ordered a mobilisation. But that requires the approval of Hitler, who is asleep.

02:40: Field Marshall von Rundstedt (centre) is awake and surveying the intelligence filtering back to him. The Kriegsmarine is reporting that their radars are swarmed. Von Rundstedt suggests this might be a flock of seagulls. He does not think it worth bothering Rommel yet. General Marcks, meanwhile, orders that all units under his command be informed of the invasion.

02:11: General Marcks is discussing his upcoming wargame when a phone call interrupts the conversation. The commander of the 716th Division in Caen is on the line, reporting parachute drops nearby. He is aware this could be the start of something.

01:30 : General Friedrich Dollman, awoken, orders the alert of the 7th Army. He is caught unprepared; intelligence about a possible invasion has not been passed back to him and many of his forces are exercising in Rennes.

About 01:00: General Erich Marcks of the 84th Corps celebrates his birthday and is preparing to travel from Saint-Lô to Rennes, where, he is to play a wargame centred on an Allied invasion. (Second photo is from The Longest Day)

01:00 : Kriegsmarine radars begin to notice the invasion armada which has assembled off the coast. It is, in fact, the largest armada of its kind in history; though nobody comprehends this yet. Lieutenant Commander Heinrich Hoffmann is informed whilst he is in the cabin of his E-boat. One of the most respected E-boat commanders, he convenes a meeting as he is convinced this is the invasion. He is nervous; his wife asked him several hours earlier "Heinrich, I’m restless tonight. Is there anything afoot?’"