WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk D-Day: The Beaches (Episode 5)
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May 16, 2024 
Al Murray, a military history enthusiast, joins James Holland to unravel the heroism and sacrifices behind the D-Day invasion. They discuss the chaos, bravery, and challenges faced by soldiers on the beaches of Normandy. The podcast explores the landscape of the beaches, the role of tanks in the assault, and the strategic actions at Gold and Sword Beach. They also touch on the chaos in the German command structure and the challenges and advantages encountered during the operation.
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Padre Skinner's D-Day Bravery
- Padre Leslie Skinner volunteered to unroll coconut matting under heavy fire on Gold Beach.
- He aided wounded men despite shelling and chaos during the early landing moments.
Unit Cohesion Lost on Landing
- Infantry platoons lost cohesion by mixing with engineers and assault specialists during landing.
- This disrupted familiar leadership and unit strength during the critical beach assault phase.
Landing Craft Drift from Wind
- Rough seas caused landing craft to drift and delayed landing positions, complicating coordinated assaults.
- Flat sides of landing craft acted like sails, pushing them off-course despite navigational efforts.