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  Corgi Classics

CG97714 D Day - Operation Overlord 50th Anniversary: June 6th 1944 - 1994 Corgi Classics Availability: Sold Out Size: Tram 1:72, Bedford O 1:50, Ford Pop/Morris J 1:43 Release: 1994 Type: Static Model Manufacturer's Code: 97714 Product Code: CG97714

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On June 6th 1944 at 9.35am, the BBC World Service broadcast the following message to the world by Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force: "Under the command of General Eisenhower, Allied naval forces, supported by strong air forces, began landing Allied armies this morning on the Northern Coast of France."

Field Marshall Rommel, Commander of the German forces was informed about an hour later. "The Longest Day" as he called it was well in progress and he had no part in it.

In Southern England, people were under no illusion about the impending invasion of France. American troops had taken over whole villages to prepare for "Operation Overlord". Southhampton and Portsmouth had been engulfed by an invasion fleet of warships, transporters and landing craft primed for the attack on Normandy, 2,000,000 tons of ammunition had been assembled, and 50,000 tanks, armoured cars, jeeps and trucks had been concealed in the woods and moorlands of Southern England.

Southhampton Open Top Tram - this is an example of one of the Southhampton Trams destined daily for Shirley Depot, and would have been used by the many troops billeted in the camps close by prior to embarkation. Over the years, trams had provided a cheap and reliable service, making large profits for the Corporation. During the war years, they were painted over in a dull grey to make them as inconspicuous as possible. There were two types of tram at this time, the open top, and those with dome-shaped roofs which were just the right shape to pass through the arches on the High Street.

RAF Recruiting Van - During the latter years of the war, the services were keen to gather new recruits and wanted to encourage people to sign up. War fatigue had dampened spirits, so the War Office used recruiting vans as a constant visual reminder to persuade the people. The "We Want You" posters were one of stirring the social conscience, like the one on the rear doors of this vehicle, the Morris J Van which is representative of the type of vehicle used at the time.

Royal Navy Staff Car - The Ford Pop 103E is an example of the type of staff car used during the war, mainly to transport the senior ranks of the forces. As with most vehicles of the period, the headlights were painted over in black, leaving enough space for a small beam of light to escape. In the blackout it was vital that there should be no possible way for the enemy to locate signs of life. For this reason, the mudguards were painted white in an attempt to alert pedestrians when driving in the dark.

Army Stores Vehicle - The Bedford 'O' Van is typical of the type used by the army during the war to transport heavy goods and ammunition. The white star emblem on the doors and roof was a symbol used at first by the American army and then assumed by the Allies in general, as a clear distinction from the enemy from air or land.

This van is characterised by the aptly named 'Mickey Mouse' camouflaging which covered the body of the vehicle in an attempt to make it indistinguishable to the ememy.

Limited Edition.

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