HMNB Portsmouth the military and naval units destined for Sword Beach on the Normandy coast as a part of Operation Overlord and the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944. Troops destined for each of the landing beaches left from Portsmouth aboard vessels such as the armed merchant cruisers HMCS "Prince Henry" and HMCS "Prince David", escorted by the Canadian destroyers HMCS "Algonquin" and "Sioux". The majority of the naval support for the operation left from Portsmouth, including the Mulberry Harbours. Boathouse 4 (built around the start of hostilities) contributed to the construction of landing craft and support vessels as well as more
Sark during the German occupation of the Channel Islands Guernsey team was discovered and the baker was “interviewed” by the Wehrmacht Feldgendarmerie until unconscious, but did not reveal his accomplices. He received a sentence of six months in prison, later reduced on appeal to four months. He survived, but two of the GUNS team died in prison. The night of 5–6 June 1944 was full of engine noises as American planes carrying paratroopers passed overhead. People listened to their crystal sets next day for news. By 22 June Americans were on the French coast just away. Three recovered 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval guns were emplaced in Little Sark