On 6 June 1944, British, US and Canadian forces invaded the coast of Normandy in northern france.
The landings were the first stage of Operation Overlord – the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe – and aimed to bring an end to World War Two.
By night-time, around 156,000 Allied troops had arrived in Normandy, despite challenging weather and fierce German defences.
At the end of D-Day, the Allies had established a foothold in france and within 11 months Nazi Germany was defeated and the war was over.
Here are 10 things you may not have known about the operation:
1. Photography appeal
As early as 1942, the BBC launched a bogus appeal for photographs and postcards from the coast of Europe, from Norway to the Pyrenees.
It was actually a way of gathering intelligence on suitable landing beaches and Normandy was settled on.
Millions of photos ended up being sent to the War Office and, with the help of the French Resistance and air reconnaissance, military bosses were able to target the best landing spots for D-Day.
