D-Day: The Last Voices brings together a rich collection of historical audio testimonies recorded with those who fought in the invasion of Normandy, alongside extraordinary new interviews with the last surviving veterans, to tell their story of D-Day as it unfolded.
Presented by Paddy O’Connell, each programme charts a distinct chapter of the complex, visceral and moving story of the invasion, from subterfuge and secret planning, to the approach of H-Hour, the landings by air and sea, and on into the battles beyond the beaches.
Commissioned as a collaboration with D-Day: The Unheard Tapes for BBC Two, and drawing on the same longitudinal access and research, the series tells the story of D-Day through the last voices of those who lived it, leading us through their personal experiences of the invasion. Supported by the historical recordings of those who were there with them – this is their story, told in their own words.
As night falls on 5th June 1944, 18,000 men ready themselves to leave Britain and embark on their missions. They will be the first in behind enemy lines on D-Day.
In parachutes, planes and gliders, they set off, and approach the Normandy coast as night gives way to the early hours of 6th June, marking the beginning of D-Day itself. Dropping in their thousands, many find they land far from their targets, alone, wounded or dying as their parachutes become waterlogged in flooded fields.
12,000 aircraft drop them in, and pilots and soldiers within with those aircraft lead us through the story, some of whom make the jump, describing in visceral and revealing detail how dangerous and tense their mission was.
At the Bénouville Bridge on the Orne Canal, later known as “Pegasus”, a glider breaks apart as it lands and Major John Howard, Eddie Edwards and Wally Parr from the British Airborne recount their crash landing. Taking targets like this bridge is an essential part of the operation, for protecting the wider invasion zone and the beaches. In just a few short hours, the biggest amphibious landing in history will commence.
Featuring: Geoffrey Weaving Bernard Morgan Marie Scott Joe Cattini Ray Nance Terence Otway Des O’Neill Eddie Edwards John Howard Wally Parr Victor Newcomb Nat Hoskot Warwick Nield-Siddall William Dunn
Written and presented by Paddy O’Connell Produced by Paul Kobrak Technical production by Richard Courtice Sound design by Roy Noy, Tom Chilcot, Alex Short, Adam Palmer, Paul Donovan Music composed by Sam Hooper
Production Executive – Anne-Marie Byrne Archive Assistant Producer – Hannah Mirsky
Archive: The D-Day Story Portsmouth, BBC News, Paddy O’Connell, made in partnership with Imperial War Museums.
Executive Producers - Morgana Pugh and Rami Tzabar
A Wall to Wall Media production for BBC Radio 4