This year is the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings that launched the Allies back into western Europe. Part of this story is due to the Island’s strategic position in the English Channel. Much of the preparation for the landings took place here.
Its military importance was such the Island became a restricted area with the passage of civilians crossing The Solent being strictly controlled. The presence of so many troops did affect the lives of many residents who had men billeted with them.
In addition to warships, many of the assault and tank landing craft were built on the Island. Troops and tank crews billeted on the Island trained around the coast in beach landings and cliff assault.
There were so many carrying out exercises that the Royal Army Medical Corps had a hospital and 400 staff at Osborne stable block to cater, not only for normal emergencies but also training accidents.
It took much preparation to complete the laying of pipelines for fuel across the country, beneath the waters of The Solent and across the Island to the pumping stations at Sandown and Shanklin.
Once the landings were successful the pipelines on these beaches were connected to more on floating drums that were towed across the channel laying a seabed pipe to the French beaches. One of the pumps can be seen at the Bembridge Heritage Centre and one of the PLUTO pipes runs down Shanklin Chine.
The River Medina became full of Thames barges containing navigation buoys. Shortly before the invasion, a fleet of the Trinity House tenders that maintain navigation buoys assembled at their depot in East Cowes.
As the invasion fleet assembled along the South Coast the tenders followed minesweepers, laying a pattern of navigation buoys across the English Channel to guide the ships to the Normandy beaches.
The surprise element achieved by the attack is remarkable as many Islanders from that period have commented on the number of military and supply vessels anchored in The Solent in the weeks leading up to the invasion.
Others have commented that they could just hear the sound of heavy gunfire across the Channel on that sunny morning.
Many wondered how many troops would return.
East Cowes Heritage Centre has the Whippingham School log book for 1944, and inside is pinned one of the special cloth badges that all the troops who left the Island on D-Day were given to wear on their uniforms. It depicts an angel over the Needles.
We wonder how many of these badges survived.
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