Size: 3.5 x 5.5 inches

This original WWII invasion reconnaissance postcard is labeled ‘Bernières-sur-Mer (Calvados)’ also referred to years later as Juno Beach where the 3rd Canadian Division was to land on two beach sectors - Mike and Nan—focusing on Courseulles, Bernières and Saint-Aubin. The Canadians suffered 1,200 casualties out of 21,400 troops who landed at Juno that day. A casualty ratio of 1 out of 18.

As seen in the reference photos, this postcard features one of the most notable buildings seen in many historical photographs of D-Day and Juno Beach. Bernieres-sur-Mer church’s steeple raises so high into the air it could be see by landing craft and was used as a vital course marker. This is seen in the background of my Juno Beach photos and close up views were it took direct hits.

The fascinating story of how ordinary Brits’ holiday postcards helped win D-Day:

Across Britain, excited families jumped at the chance to send in their French holiday snaps after a call-out on the wireless. Many immediately hunted through boxes stuffed with photos of happy families posing on beaches as kids built sandcastles - but they had no idea their beloved pictures would prove instrumental in the D-Day landings. The request came in 1942, with Brits desperate to help the war effort sending in 30,000 packs of pictures of the French coast within just 36 hours. Incredibly, by 1944, 10 million holiday snaps and postcards, hotel brochures, letters and guidebooks had arrived by post. The best were pinned to a board in a top-secret planning room, so army bosses could study every inch of the beaches and landing areas where the Normandy invasion would go on to take place 75 years ago today. Those thrilled families enjoying the biggest treat of their lives had no idea of the horror that was about to unfold on those beaches - and, to look at them now, the innocent snaps are achingly poignant. Major Maddock along with hundreds of others used these postcards of the Normandy Coast to help plan the 1944 invasion of France. Many of these postcards were used in briefings with officers, land craft operators and other infantry soldier to study and orient themselves based on their drop locations of the building and landmarks in these photos.