Remembering the past, supporting the future - SSAFA’s D-Day 80th anniversary cycle challenge

Doc and the other cyclist will sail from Portsmouth on the evening of the 05th June, as the allied forces did precious 80 years ago, having first taken part in the national commormeoration that morning.

On arrival in Normandy at sunrise on the 06th, Doc will cycle 250 miles in 3 days laying memorial wreaths to the fallen at Bayeux Main Commonwealth War memorial and Pegasus Bridge. Doc is raising funds for SSAFA and all donations are most humbly appreciated at: https://ssafa.enthuse.com/pf/michael-cox

DDay - Operation Overlord, was the largest, daring and most complex seaborn invasion in history which began the liberation of France and occupied Europe. The invasion began shortly after midnight on the morning of June 6th 1944 with extensive aerial and naval bombardment as well as an airborne assault : the landing of 24,000 American, British, and Canadian airborne troops.

The early morning aerial assault was soon followed by Allied amphibious landings on the coast of France ca. 06:30 AM. The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Strong winds blew the landing craft east of their intended positions, particularly at Utah and Omaha. German casualties on D-Day have been estimated at 4,000 to 9,000 men. Allied casualties were documented for at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead.