Our speaker on 7 June 2025 was Dr Phil Judkins. Phil started by saying that most TV and film accounts of D Day tell us what went right and that he would tell us what went wrong – but started with a big success! Monitoring of German radio messages was key, and code breaking critical. It was a priority to keep up the ‘Double Cross’ deception, that the Normandy beaches were a feint and the Pas de Calais would be the real invasion; the messages intercepted from the Germans showed the ‘big lie’ had been swallowed. Bletchley Park was in overdrive decoding messages and Phil told us he knew of at least two Wakefield women who worked there.
He went on to inform us about Bomber Harris and Lee Mallory and how they both opposed Montgomery’s plans to bomb certain French towns flat. Eventually they were overruled but when the go ahead was finally given, bombs fell inland and not on the Germans who were ready to slaughter the invading Allied troops.
Phil informed us about the various weaponry used which was offered to the Americans; they only accepted the swimming tank. This was a big mistake as was seen at Omaha beach. The prime challenge was also to get the troops across the Channel; 6000 ships were used and they had to move under German radar. Our scientists had 100 days to make this happen and Phil shared a visual showing some of the solutions including the creation of two false fleets named Glimmer and Taxable to draw German attention away from Normandy. This impressive illusion was achieved by precisely controlled aircraft dropping pieces of aluminium foil and supported by motor launches which were equipped so as to appear on German radar as large ships; sound effects were also used.
D Day was postponed for a day owing to bad weather but the game was nearly given away by one group of ships not receiving the communication and setting off using the route which was going to be used; they were eventually recalled. Another close shave was one associated press teletype officer practising her speed typing by inventing a message about the Invasion which inadvertently became live on the international news circuit – it was cancelled within 30 seconds.
Phil showed us the intricate detailed preparations used for D Day, including the building of detailed models of bridges which were used to practice, practice, practice; the real thing would involve gliders using no lights and no brakes. He told us about Titanic: the Fake Paratroops which caused confusion in the critical early minutes of battle. 15,000 paras were eventually dropped from 600 aircraft. Bad weather and heavy cloud played havoc with navigation, compounded by inexperienced air crew. 101st airborne division suffered 83% casualties and most of their kit was lost. The 82nd airborne division landed fairly accurately but much of their equipment fell into German hands.
Once landing had started, tanks were falling in to the craters created by the bombing of the beaches and inaccurate bombing often hit Allied troops. Allied big ships had a lot to achieve; the Normandy landings were almost the last hurrah of the Navy big ships and they were especially vulnerable to air, submarine and torpedo attack. Phil reminded us that Wakefield built landing craft; 80 were built by Drake and Warters in Thornhill Street and its largely female workforce.
Phil went on to give us detailed accounts of landings on Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword beaches – the number of troops landed, how this was planned and the successes and casualties which also ensued. Utah was relatively successful but Omaha in America is a byword for slaughter, partly because the USA had decided not to use the British special tanks. Bad weather when landing at Gold beach was a major advantage and Phil told us the story of the only D Day VC award to Stanley Hollis. We were informed that most of the troops landing on Juno were Canadians; the Germans thought the rocks would deter it being used as a landing beach.
The talk came to a close with some statistics. Collectively the casualties were almost unbelievably high. 150,000 landed on D Day, 4000 plus died – 3%. Churchill had anticipated 20,000 dead. The Normandy campaign itself resulted in 73,000 deaths, plus 20,000 French civilians, often forgotten.
In summary, said Phil, D Day was ‘a damn close run thing’; a knife edge which could have gone either way.
Lorraine Simpson
