Marshalling and Embarkation Area 'D1'
Sub area 'Z'.
D8, Down Wood, Dorset.

D8 Down Wood

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Plan of Area 'D1' WXYZ.

US Ranger.

 

 

D8 Down Wood

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D8 Down Wood

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Just prior to D-Day all assault troops for D-Day were brought together into camps all around the south coast of England. Here I am talking about Area 'D' sub area 'Z' D8 Down Wood.

D8 Down Wood

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Plan of D8 Down Wood 1500men and 220 vehicles.
Z sub area had D5, D8, D9, D14

D8 Down Wood

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An air photo of the north part of D8 Down Wood.

D8 Down Wood

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Down Wood from the Golf Course car park, head straight into the wood and turn slightly left and continue.

Pyramid tent.

Inside a pyramid tent.

Pup tents.

D8 Down Wood

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Today there is very little left in any of these camps, they were all built in woodland to hide the soldiers from the air. The men lived in tents and huts and were provided for feeding and ablutions. One hut guarded all the time held maps, plans, models of the areas the soldiers were to attack. At a certain time all personnel involved were brought into these sealed camps and fed very well, looked after and then shown what and where they were going to land.

 

Sherman DD tank.

Tank convoy.

D8 Down Wood

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Brick plinths of a water tank.

A Braithwaite water tower on block base the type that would have been here.

D8 Down Wood

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Brick plinths of a water tank.

D8 Down Wood

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Brick plinths of a water tank.

A Braithwaite water tower on block base the type that would have been here.

D8 Down Wood

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Brick water tower for an ablutions block. There may have been a boiler to heat water for showers and a water tank in the top of the tower..

An RAF ablutions block, water heater on the right and hot water tank on left.

An RAF ablutions block showing the the water tower and boiler room.

A water tank that would have been placed in the brick tower.

D8 Down Wood

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Brick water tower for an ablutions block.

An RAF ablutions block showing the the water tower and boiler room.

RAF ablutions block with a water tank in the top of the tower.

Boiler man.

D8 Down Wood

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Brick water tower for an ablutions block.

 

 

DUKW.

D8 Down Wood

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Ablutions block, toilet cubicles.

A water tank that would have bee placed in the brick tower.

Toilets on Omaha beach.

D8 Down Wood

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One of the large hut bases.

Plan of the hut.

 

 

D8 Down Wood

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Hut base. One hut held plans, maps and photographs of the landing beaches.

Planning.

Beach model.

D8 Down Wood

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Hut base.

Sherman fitting wading air intakes and exhaust covers.

Sherman preparations.

D8 Down Wood

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Hut base.

Ammunition storage on country roads ready for D-Day.

D8 Down Wood

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They even had full drainage systems throughout the camps.

D8 Down Wood

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Ablutions.

Half tracks pre loaded with artillery.

Half tracks loading at Portland.

D8 Down Wood

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Trenches left after all these years and there are several around here. Trenches were dug to give the feel of how they would have to live in France after landing but also to protect them from air attacks that were expected in the build up period.

Cleaning his gun.

 

Walking along the sea front at Weymouth.

D8 Down Wood

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Soldiers preparing to go down to Weymouth.

D8 Down Wood

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Dorchester town.

D8 Down Wood

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The men that left from Dorset landed at Omaha Beach..

© 2013 Richard Drew