D-Day Fleet 1944, British Sector

This illustrated study explores the detail of the Royal Navy's huge operation on D-Day and in the weeks after, as the fleet went into action to support history's biggest amphibious landings.

Although D-Day is perhaps the most written-about event in military history, little has been published on the detail of the sea power that Overlord relied upon. In this book, critically acclaimed historian Nick Hewitt examines the fleet that secured the British Assault Area from the eve of D-Day until the end of the assault phase of operations on 30 June 1944. While led and dominated by the Royal Navy, it was multinational, including forces from Canada, Norway, and the Free French.

The invasion had many moving parts and proved there is more to a successful assault than simply putting soldiers ashore on a beach. This book explains the minesweeping that allowed the landings to take place, and the various naval operations that brought British and Canadian troops to the beaches. It also explores how the fleet defended the British Assault Area from counterattacks by enemy destroyers, coastal forces, mining, and special attack units, and how it sustained the build-up that fed resources to the growing Allied forces.

Illustrated with archive photos, original artwork and 3D diagrams and maps, and drawing upon primary documentation that has previously gone largely unused, this book offers a fresh exploration of the sea power behind D-Day.

About the Author

Nick Hewitt is a naval historian who works for Orkney Islands Council. He studied history at Lancaster University and War Studies at King's College, London, before working at Imperial War Museums and The National Museum of the Royal Navy. Nick's broadcast credits include presenting the BBC's Coast, Channel 5's D-Day's Sunken Secrets (2014) and the BBC's Battle of Jutland: The Navy's Bloodiest Day (2016). His first book, Coastal Convoys 1939-1945, was published in 2008, and he has since published The Kaiser's Pirates (2013) and Firing on Fortress Europe (2015). His latest book, Normandy: the Sailors' Story, was published by Yale University Press in 2024.

Paul Wright has painted ships of all kinds for most of his career, specialising in steel and steam warships from the late 19th century to the present day. Paul's art has illustrated the works of Patrick O'Brian, Dudley Pope and C.S. Forester amongst others, and hangs in many corporate and private collections all over the world. A Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, Paul lives and works in Surrey.

Table of Contents

• The Fleet's Purpose
• The Ships
• Technical Factors
• Firepower
• Air Support
• Amphibious Vehicles
• The Mulberry Harbours
• Sailors Ashore
• How the Fleet Operated
• Doctrine, Command and Communication
• Intelligence
• Deception
• Logistics and Facilities
• Combat and Analysis
• The Fleet in Combat
• Analysis
• Further Reading
• Index