D-Day, 1944: Voices from Normandy

by Robin Neillands

Neillands, Robin, De Normann, Roderick

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Military History, World War II, France, Military Fiction, Germany

252 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Robin Hunter Neillands was a British writer known for his works on travel and military history. A former Royal Marine who served in Cyprus and the Middle East, he later became a prolific author, publishing under multiple pen names. His military histories, often featuring firsthand accounts from veterans, challenged revisionist narratives, particularly regarding Bernard Montgomery, the Dieppe Raid, and the Allied bombing campaign in World War II. Neillands also authored numerous travel books inspired by his extensive journeys across Europe. His works, both popular and scholarly, earned him a nomination for the Royal United Services Institute’s Military Literature Award.

Reviews

[ItsMeAdam21 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed how the book was structured, with each landing beach getting its own chapter. It made it much easier to follow the invasion and understand what each force experienced rather than blending everything together.

A few things really stuck with me. One was the statistic that only about one in six of the men listed as casualties on the beaches were actually confirmed dead there. The rest were never found, couldn’t be identified, or were presumed captured. That’s a sobering reminder of just how chaotic D-Day really was.

The stories of individual heroism were another highlight, especially Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr., whose leadership after landing with the first wave was incredible. I also found the chapter on the glider troops fascinating. I didn’t realize just how deadly those landings were.

The quote that has stayed with me is, “The only people on this beach are the dead and those who are going to die.” It perfectly captures the craziness and horror of Omaha Beach. Overall, this was an informative and human look at one of history’s most significant days.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly a collection of first hand reports from servicemen who participated in the D-Day landings. unless you are a WW2/D-Day junkie you may find this book rather tiresome. It seems very repetitive which maybe is good in some ways because it gives you an idea of the extent and scale of the carnage and confusion

[Stacy Croushorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hour by hour description of what happened on the different beaches on D-Day told by the men who were actually there. Their words will remain with you.

[Ron Musgrove · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first-hand accounts compel. Sadly, the prosaic, dry narrative in which they're framed does its subject a disservice.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so full of incredible information and details, but the flow just didn't flow. Jumping from one first-hand account snippet to the next felt disjointed, and after a while, each of the chapters felt repetitive. Really unfortunate given the subject.

[Ikram Mohd noor · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading a lot of books about WW2 especially about the Operation Overlord, one thing that keep me satisfied with this book is because the authors explained the details and all the situations including the Canadian and British sectors: Gold, Juno, Sword.

Lot of books for D-Day talked about the Utah & Omaha (American's sector for landing), maybe because most of the authors are Americans.

So if you want to grab the basic concept and idea about D-Day landing, about the strategies, about the logistics, and anything, this book can be a good starter for the beginners.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 3 out of 5]

First published in 1993, D-Day 1944 Voices from Normandy looks at the allied invasion of Europe in 1944 through a series of reminiscences. Unlike most other books of this ilk, this concentrates mainly on the events of June 6 itself rather than events in the subsequent campaign, making it much more focussed.