Introduction
The Normandy Landings began with ‘D-Day’ set for 5th June, 1944, though unfavourable weather postponed it to the following day. The landings heralded the start of the Allied invasion of Europe and the end of the Second World War, though it was nearly a year before victory could be declared.
ON 6th June 1944, the Allies set in motion Operation Overlord.
It started with Operation Neptune, landing thousands of soldiers from Britain, the Commonwealth and the United States on five beaches in Normandy, codenamed Utah and Omaha for the Americans, and Gold, Juno and Sword for the British.
The Normandy landings were masterminded by Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, while the Anglo-American forces in France were commanded by General Bernard Montgomery.
Having secured Cherbourg, Montgomery worked methodically inland, liberating Paris late in August, and Brussels on September 3rd. The Germans had been expecting an attack near Calais, misdirected by a series of deceptions called Operation Bodyguard.
Within five days of ‘D-Day’, some 326,000 troops and 54,000 vehicles had landed on the beaches, supported by around 12,000 aircraft and 6,000 vessels, the largest sea-borne invasion ever.*
However, the Allies’ overall progress was frustrated at Arnhem in September, delaying outright victory until VE Day on 8th May, 1945.
D-Day is technical military terminology for the first day of any operation (compare H-Hour); there have been countless D-Days in history. However, ‘D-Day’ has become almost synonymous with the first day of the Normandy landings in 1944. Thanks are due to Portsmouth’s D-Day Museum for the figures; visit their site for the exact numbers.
Précis
In the summer of 1944, the Allies launched a mass invasion of continental Europe, choosing June 6th as ‘D-Day’ and landing on five beaches in Normandy. By early September, British, American and Commonwealth troops commanded by Bernard Montgomery had liberated both Paris and Brussels, but it would be almost a year before the Second World War was truly over. (59 / 60 words)
In the summer of 1944, the Allies launched a mass invasion of continental Europe, choosing June 6th as ‘D-Day’ and landing on five beaches in Normandy. By early September, British, American and Commonwealth troops commanded by Bernard Montgomery had liberated both Paris and Brussels, but it would be almost a year before the Second World War was truly over.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, despite, just, otherwise, ought, unless, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Command. Secure. Start.
2 Commonwealth. Near. Soldier.
3 Landing. Large. Some.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
n (7+4)
aeon. an. in. ion. no. on. one.
eon. nae. nee. uni.
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