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
Order of battle for the American airborne landings in Normandy Order of battle for the American airborne landings in Normandy The Order of battle for the American airborne landings in Normandy is a list of the units immediately available for combat on the Cotentin Peninsula between June 6, 1944, and June 15, 1944, during the American airborne landings in Normandy during World War II. Allied chain of command Supreme Allied Commander: Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower 21st Army Group: Gen. Sir Bernard Montgomery U.S. First Army: Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley U.S. VII Corps: Maj. Gen. J. Lawton Collins Maj. Gen. Paul L. Williams (Grantham, Lincs) Brig. Gen. Julian M. Chappell at