The Normandy Ghosts

"Normandy Ghosts" is a new book that uses breathtaking images of the D-Day landings placed on contemporary settings.

Omaha Beach, as it looks today—with green shrubbery on the sand dunes where Nazi machine-gunners poured bullets on US soldiers 77 years ago—is shown as black and white landing ships hurtling towards it.

The second picture shows the restored business sector next to the wreckage of Montebourg, which collapsed on June 19, 1944, due to heavy bombardment.

Some depicted a Sherman tank rumbling along a contemporary Bayeux main street, while others portrayed a massive cruiser being refueled in the Port-en-Bessin, which stood in sharp contrast to the picturesque fishing harbor of today.

On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the biggest amphibious assault in history began with the Normandy landings.

The fall of the Nazis was imminent, and this event set the stage for the liberation of Paris in late August and the subsequent advance on Berlin, the last destination of Adolf Hitler's reign.

Nigel Stewart and Sean Claxton, both of whom specialize in military history, have authored a new book.

Although not novel, the writers noted that "ghosting" has gained popularity online but has been less successful in print.

It felt like a good way to bring back the feeling of history that we have all the time.

'This book is not meant to be a rehash of the Normandy campaign; rather, it is meant to be a visual and verbal recall of the turbulent events that took place at that time.'

Air travel Near the town of Audrieu on June 11, 1944, Lieutenant H G Garwood touched down with his Spitfire MK IX MJ255. The fighter plane's engine had failed, rendering it a total loss; but, the next day, Garwood climbed into the cockpit of a different aircraft. For the Allies to pull off the Normandy invasion, air supremacy was crucial. German retreating forces became more frightened of fighter aircraft who would pursue them along rural roads. On July 17, a Spitfire opened fire on General Erwin Rommel's motorcade, wounding Rommel personally.

Observing Caen from William the Conqueror's castle, two German troops sit on the wall. Among the Normandy invasion's bloodiest battles, the Battle for Caen raged from June to August 1944. Many historians believe that the British should have been more aggressive in their advance on Caen after the D-Day landings, as this would have prevented the Germans from strengthening its defenses and devoting the majority of their panzer divisions to defending the city. Because of this, a terrible fight of attrition ensued, and between June 26 and 30, the Second Army—which consisted of divisions from Canada and the United Kingdom—lost as much as four thousand men. It was not until August that the Allies broke out to the west, isolating the remaining enemy troops, that the Germans would finally be driven from the battlefield. After the conflict, the city's pre-war layout was mostly destroyed, and restoration didn't wrap up until 1962.

Allied soldiers advance inland via Saint-Côme-de-Fresné using Ariel motorbikes and track vehicles. The 50th British infantry division was ordered to capture Gold Beach, which lies west of the town. At Gold, British forces suffered around a thousand casualties, 350 of whom were killed. By day's end, however, they had overcome the German positions and pushed their way along the beach, opening the way for reinforcements and the landing of Cromwell and Sherman tanks.

Omaha Beach, as it looks today—with green shrubbery on the sand dunes where Nazi machine-gunners poured bullets on US soldiers 77 years ago—is shown as black and white landing ships hurtling towards it. Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword were the five codenames given to the fifty miles of shoreline that the Allies intended to land along. Omaha Beach, the most notoriously bloody of the D-Day beaches, was the site of the landing of the US V Corps. The beach stretches for five miles. Roughly 2,400 American soldiers were either killed, injured, or went missing while fighting in an area surrounded by high cliffs and fiercely fortified by German forces.

Battle of Bayeux, June 27, 1944, fought by British forces. On June 7, when the Allies advanced into the city, the Germans had already fled, making their way to the more important bastion of Caen, where they would encounter fierce opposition. The joyous locals of Bayeux would greet General Charles de Gaulle with a hero's welcome when he came less than a week later. Two months down the road, De Gaulle would show up to free Paris and deliver his now-famous address to a gathering from the Hôtel de Ville.

At the "petrol port" at Port-en-Bessin, a massive ship is refueling. Operation Aubery, or the struggle for the port, occurred the day after D-Day. The town was between the US-attacked Omaha Beach on the west and the British-landed Gold on the east. No. 47 Royal Marine Commando arrived on the Normandy shore early on June 6 and took the defended port. Following the deaths or disappearances of scores of men during the approach, some 300 men gathered on the beach. After dodging hostile fire, they crossed land to reach Port-en-Bessin. They fearlessly charged into German defenses, even though they were outnumbered four to one. Historian Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart deemed it "the most spectacular of all commando exploits during the actual invasion." Warships could access the harbor and refuel because to the connection between Omaha and Gold beaches.

At Vierville-sur-Mer, barrage balloons were deployed. A double-embrasure bunker serves as a mooring point for one here. To divert enemy planes from a certain region, the balloons hoisted steel wires into the air, creating a danger zone. On D-Day, the Americans who had arrived at Omaha Beach were tasked with seizing four German strong positions that protected the settlement.

A Sherman tank rumbling along Bayeux's contemporary main street. The British forces arrived the day after D-Day to much fanfare from the inhabitants, who were relieved to see that their city had survived the bombings relatively unscathed. German forces had already dispersed and were making their way to the strategically important fortress of Caen, where the Allies were prepared to encounter fierce opposition. General Charles de Gaulle, the French liberator, would visit Bayeux less than a week later, and the locals would greet him with joy. Two months down the road, De Gaulle would show up to free Paris and deliver his now-famous address to a gathering from the Hôtel de Ville.

In stark contrast to the modern, restored business center, the remains of Montebourg, which collapsed on June 19, 1944, after heavy bombardment, are seen here. A crucial objective for the Allies' post-landing strategy was the control of the Cotentin Peninsula, where Montebourg was situated. In order to replenish its bigger ships that were attacking German defenses, the Allies relied on Cherbourg, located at the tip of the peninsula, a deep water port. While traversing the Cotentin Peninsula, the southern town of Montebourg, which is close to Cherbourg, was bombarded with bombs.

Although not novel, the "ghosting" method has gained some notoriety online but has fared less well in print, according to the authors. It felt like a good way to bring back the feeling of history that we have all the time. This book is not meant to be a rehash of the Normandy battle story, but rather a visual and textual reminder of the turbulent events it depicts.