D DAY LANDINGS - WWII - 6th JUNE 1944

An EDUCATION PROJECT for Schools, Scouts, Girl Guides, Clubs, Groups, Centres, and Homes EVERYWHERE ....

Produced by PHOTO MEMORIES ORGANISATION. - dday80years@outlook.com

Researching the HISTORY of THE BICYCLE AT WAR, especially how it was used during D-DAY, on 6th JUNE 1944 has encouraged us to acknowledge the sacrifice and courage of the men and women who played their part in WWII. With the resounding contribution of the humble bicycle we are encouraging all children’s groups to share our EDUCATION RESOURCE ALBUMS and maybe we can get children’ to have their own made badge or flag on their bikes each year on 6th JUNE.

We are sure you and the children will have your own ideas. We have some of the stories, facts, photographs and information to share but there is plenty more to explore.

*Draw, design or paint your own poppy Anniversary badge or sign for your bike.

•Make your own display or exhibition. (FREE templates available to help you in the album on this site).

•Create a sandy beach in your classroom and add some landing craft, commandos, and BIKES.

•Identify the beaches of UTAH, OMAHA, GOLD, JUNO and SWORD used in Normandy, France.

•Draw pictures of bikes being used during WWII, especially saving lives.

•Access PATHE films on the internet of the PARABIKE being manufactured from 1942.

•Search the internet for interesting facts and stories involving the Paratroopers Bicycle.

•Utilise our Power Point Presentation or produce your own – we can help.

•Plan your visit to your local Library Exhibition Displays.

Join us and help our younger generation learn more about D-DAY and World War 2. While lots of sad stories can be told there are many facts, interesting stories (both serious and funny) and things we all did not know about the conflict.

While we say ‘Thank You’ to the many who died or survived we can celebrate PEACE on our BIKES!

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: dday80years@outlook.com

LET’s Make the Anniversary of D Day, also B-DAY (Bike Day)……….

A Celebration of the Bicycle’s which helped the military in several wars.

Bicycles have been used in many wars since 1887, including WWI and WWII, but did you know:

•A special folding bike was manufactured especially for the UK Paratroopers to jump with on D-Day.

•The same folding bike was used by the Commandos at the D-Day landings in Normandy.

•The bikes were used for many tasks including transport, gun support, ambulances and much more.

•Bikes didn’t need fuel like vehicles or feeding like the horses and didn’t run away.

•The Bikes were manufactured by BSA – The Birmingham Small Arms Company.

•BSA designed a special children’s bike during WWII based on the paratrooper’s bike.

•In August 1944, BSA told ALL children: -‘YOU will have to wait till after the war to get a bike.’

•The children’s BSA Parabike was the first bike to be manufactured after the war.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: dday80years@outlook.com

A POEM -' Yard by Yard' FOR D DAY BY R C BELL - 2014.

Yard by yard

They Stormed the beach

While brothers fell

From guns out of reach

There was no withdraw

There was no retreat

Just a hail of bullets

And a blood soaked beach

Move forward or die

The order was given

The beach is a graveyard

No place for the living

So we crawled forward

Our faces in the sand

Prayed for salvation

By God's mighty hand

And triumph we did

By the end of the day

But so many lost

On the longest of days

By R C Bell 2014