The Allied invasion of France took place at last on June 6th 1944. A few hours after it began , in very stormy and unseasonable weather the Prime Minister informed the House of Commons that the long awaited operation had begun, and was going better and with much smaller losses than had been expected. So well did it go that six months later it was possible for the Home Guard to be stood down, an occasion made memorable by the broadcast from H.M. The King.
H.M. The King Broadcasts to the Nation on the Stand down of the Home Guard. December 3rd 1944.
Over four years ago, in May 1940, our country was in mortal danger.
The most powerful army the world had ever seen had forced its way to within a few miles of our coast.
From day to day we were threatened with invasion.
In those days our Army had been gravely weakened, a call went out for men to enrol themselves in a new citizen army, the Local Defence Volunteers, ready to use whatever weapons could be found and to stand against the invader in every village and every town.
Throughout Britain and Northern Ireland the nation answered that summons, as free men will always answer when freedom is in danger.
From fields and hills, from factories and mills, from shops and offices, men of every age and every calling came forward to train themselves for battle.
In July 1940, the Local Defence Volunteers became the Home Guard.
During those four years of continuing anxiety that civilian army grew in strength ,under the competent administration of the Territorial Army Associations, it soon became a well equipped and capable force, able to take over many duties from regular soldiers preparing to go overseas.
I believe it is the voluntary spirit which has always made the Home Guard so splendid and so powerful a comradeship of arms.
The hope that this comradeship will long endure was strong in me this afternoon while many thousands of you marched past me in one of the most impressive and memorable parades that I have ever seen.
For most of you and I must add, for your wives too your service in the Home Guard has not been easy.
I know what it has meant, especially for older men. Some of you have stood for many hours on the gun sites, in desolate fields or wind swept beaches.
Many of you after a long and hard day’s work, scarcely had time for food before you changed into uniform for the evening parade.
Some of you had to bicycle for long distances to the drill hall or the rifle range.
It was well known to the enemy that if he came to any part of our land he would meet determined opposition, at every point in his advance, from men who had good weapons and, better still, knew how to use them.
In that way the existence of the Home Guard, helped much to ward off the danger of invasion.
Then, too our own plans for campaigns in many parts of the world depended on our having a great citizen force to help in the defence of the homeland.
As anti aircraft and coastal gunners, sentries at vulnerable points, units for dealing with unexploded bombs, and in many other ways, the Home Guard have played a full part in the defence of their country…
But you have gained something for yourselves; you have discovered in yourselves new capabilities.
You have found how men from all kinds of homes and many different occupations can work together in a great cause, and how happy they can be with each other.
That is a memory and a knowledge which may help us all in the many peace time problems that we shall have to tackle before long.
I am very proud of what the Home Guard has done and I give my heartfelt thanks to all of you.
Officers, non commissioned officers, and men you have served your country with a steadfast devotion.
I know that your country will not forget that service
Mr Churchill Informs the House of Commons on June 6th 1944, of the fall of Rome and the Allied Invasion of France.
The House should, I think take formal cognizance of the liberation of Rome by the allied armies under the command of General Alexander with General Clark, of the United States Service, and General Oliver Leese in command of the Fifth and Eighth Armies respectively.
This is a memorable and glorious event which rewards the intense fighting of the last five months in Italy….
I have also to announce to the House that during the night and the early hours of this morning the first of a series of landings in force upon the European Continent has taken place.
In this case the liberating assault fell upon the coast of France.
An immense armada of upwards of 4,000 ships together with several thousand smaller craft crossed the Channel.
Massed airborne landings have been successfully affected behind the enemy lines and landings on the beaches are proceeding at various points at the present time.
The fire of the shore batteries has been largely quelled.
The obstacles that were constructed in the sea have not proved so difficult as was apprehended.
The Anglo American allies are sustained by about 11,000 first line aircraft, which can be drawn upon as may be needed for the purposes of the battle….
Reports are coming in in rapid succession, so far the commanders engaged report that everything is proceeding according to plan.
And what a plan! This vast operation is undoubtedly the most complicated and difficult that has ever occurred.
It involves tides, winds, waves, visibility both from the air and the sea standpoint, and the combined employment of land, air and sea forces in the highest degree of intimacy and in contact with conditions which could not and cannot be fully foreseen.
There are already hopes that actual tactical surprise has been attained and we hope to furnish the enemy, with a succession of surprises during the course of the fighting.
The battle that has now begun will grow constantly in scale and in intensity for many weeks to come and I shall not attempt to speculate upon its course.
This I may say, however.
Complete unity prevails throughout the allied armies; there is a brotherhood in arms between us and our friends of the United States.
There is complete confidence in the supreme commander, General Eisenhower, and his lieutenants, and also in the commander of the Expeditionary Force, General Montgomery.
The ardour and the spirit of the troops as I saw myself, embarking in these last few days was splendid to witness.
Nothing that equipment science and forethought could do has been neglected, and the whole process of opening this great new front will be pursued with the utmost resolution.
At the End of the Same Sitting, Mr Churchill made the Following Further Statement.
I can state to the House that this operation is proceeding in a thoroughly satisfactory manner.
Many dangers and difficulties which at this time last night appeared extremely formidable are behind us.
The passage of the sea has been made with far less loss then we apprehended.
The resistance of the batteries has been greatly weakened, by the bombing of the Air Force and the superior bombardment of our ships quickly reduced their fire to dimensions which did not affect the problem…
The landings along the whole front have been very effective, and troops have penetrated in some cases several miles inland….
The landings of the airborne troops, on a scale far larger then anything that has been seen so far in the world, took place with extremely little loss and with great accuracy….
A very great degree of risk had to be taken in respect of the weather.
But General Eisenhower’s courage is equal to all the necessary decisions that have to be taken in these extremely difficult and uncontrollable matters.
The airborne troops are well established and the landings and the follow ups are all proceeding with much less loss, very much less then we expected……
The enemy will now probably endeavour to concentrate on this area, and in that event heavy fighting will soon begin…..
It is therefore, a most serious time that we enter upon.
Thank God, we enter upon it with our great allies all in good heart, and all in good friendship.
