The Ultimate D-Day Quiz Quiz | European War

Answer: 5th June

The original day for the invasion was set as the 5th of June. There were only a few possible days when the invasion could go ahead due to tides on the landing beaches and daylight hours. If the invasion had not gone ahead on the 5th, 6th or 7th of June then the invasion would have been delayed an extra two weeks.

Answer: Operation Fortitude

Operation Fortitude was successful in fooling the Germans into thinking that an invasion would be made elsewhere. Despite German forces being present in Normandy on D-Day, the number were not nearly as great as they would have been had the Germans known the precise location of the landing.

Answer: Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach had far more casualties than any other beach on D-Day, so much so that General Bradley considered a retreat from the beach. The disaster on Omaha resulted from several factors that were not present or were less present on the other beaches.

Answer: Mulberry

Mulberry Harbours were used on D-Day and beyond to help bring troops and supplies into France. Unfortunately, most were damaged after a violent storm not long after they were constructed in June 1944.

Answer: Pegasus Bridge

Its actual name at the time was Bénouville Bridge, but it was renamed Pegasus Bridge later in 1944.
The first fighting on French soil on D-Day took place at there. Under the command of Major John Howard, the British glider-borne troops landed a few hundred metres from the bridge and took it suffering few casualties and facing little resistance. The first allied soldier killed on D-Day was Lt. Dan Brotheridge who was killed in action while attempting to take the bridge.

Answer: 24,000

The airborne landings on D-Day were the largest ever attempted up until that point. Despite managing to land enough airborne troops to make a significant impact on D-Day, thousands were landed in the wrong place and many landed in swamps and rivers resulting in heavy casualties.

Answer: General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Despite having very little experience of combat, Eisenhower was selected as the Supreme Allied Commander on D-Day and Operation Overlord and later became US President.

Answer: 0630

The troops on Omaha Beach landed at 0630 hours on D-Day after having endured a long trip in the landing craft.

Answer: Ste. Mare-Eglise

The 82nd Airborne landed at Ste. Mare-Eglise on D-Day. The infamous event that occurred at Ste. Mare-Eglise on D-Day was the landing of John Steele on the church tower. He was forced to play dead for hours while the fighting unfolded beneath him. A dummy has been placed on the tower in remembrance of this unfortunate event.

Answer: Pointe du Hoc

Believing that guns on top of Pointe du Hoc were firing on to the beaches below, the Rangers scaled the cliff face under fire to seize control of the area and prevent any more damage to the troops on the beach from the guns. When the Rangers reached the top, they found that the guns had been moved and had to travel several miles inland to find them.