The day Sunderland people woke to the news 'the D-Day invasion is going well'

‘The commanders who are engaged, report that everything is proceeding according to plan - and what a plan!’

It was a day when global history was made - and this is how it was reported on Wearside.

Allied troops come ashore on the morning of D-Day during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of German-occupied France on 6th June 1944.  (Photo by James Mapham/No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images).placeholder image
Allied troops come ashore on the morning of D-Day during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of German-occupied France on 6th June 1944. (Photo by James Mapham/No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images). | Getty Images

Today marks the 82nd anniversary of D-Day when the liberation of Europe began.

Allied troops come ashore on the morning of D-Day during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of German-occupied France on 6th June 1944.  (Photo by James Mapham/No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images).placeholder image
Allied troops come ashore on the morning of D-Day during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of German-occupied France on 6th June 1944. (Photo by James Mapham/No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images). | Getty Images

The Sunderland Echo 6 o'clock edition provided readers with immense detail of the campaign and, encouragingly, reported: "Invasion Is Going Well."

Prime Minister Winston Churchill told the nation: "The fire of the shore batteries has been largely quelled."

"So far, the commanders who are engaged, report that everything is proceeding according to plan - and what a plan!"

Sunderland people clamoured to get news of the D-Day invasion.placeholder image
Sunderland people clamoured to get news of the D-Day invasion. | se

Alongside the stern news was a front page advert for Binns where you could buy the latest fabrics such as tweeds (for 7s 6d), and blazer flannel (for 5s 5d).

A front page advert for Binns on D-Day.placeholder image
A front page advert for Binns on D-Day. | se

For the Wearside parent, there was a display of new prams at Binns showroom in Park Lane.

There was news of that day's blackout time which was 11.30pm to 4.20am and the Echo also told its readers that King George Vl would speak to the nation at 9pm.

Echo newspaper deliverers were besieged as they brought the latest editions of the paper to the streets.

Echo newspaper delivers were besieged as they handed out copies on D-Day.placeholder image
Echo newspaper delivers were besieged as they handed out copies on D-Day. | se

Soldiers, civilians and anyone on the streets, in fact, rushed forward to buy copies of the paper as soon as they were published.

An Echo reporter said at the time: "It looked very much like an ordinary day until the Echo appeared on the streets during the dinner hour. Then it appeared to dawn on people that the beginning of the invasion was something to get really excited about.

"The newsboys were besieged and there was great animation even among those who did not enter the rugby pack in an effort to get a copy of the paper."

There was page upon page of news from the battlefield to report.

Dwight D Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe during the Second World War and later US President. (Picture: Fox Photos)placeholder image
Dwight D Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe during the Second World War and later US President. (Picture: Fox Photos) | Getty Images

One war correspondent told how he had watched from the cockpit of a bomber as 'great naval and shore engagements got under way’.

Just miles away, he saw fields strewn with parachutes where Allied airborne troops had landed. And in even more fields, he saw gliders bearing the distinctive black and white zebra stripes of the D-Day invasion force.

The paper had reports on General Eisenhower’s final words to the troops, telling them: "The tide has turned. The free men of the world are marching together to victory."

One of Sunderland's most beloved department stores in its heyday, Liverpool House. Picture: Sunderland Antiquarian Society.placeholder image
One of Sunderland's most beloved department stores in its heyday, Liverpool House. Picture: Sunderland Antiquarian Society. | Local Library

Standing alongside all that news from the battlefield was an advert for Liverpool House in High Street West.

Shopping bags were selling for 4 shillings and fourpence, and rug yarn was nine shillings and ten pence. Food on ration clearly was not agreeing with everyone’s constitution.

The Echo had lots of adverts for indigestion treatments in June 1944.

One promised victory against debility, indigestion and brain fog, while another pledged to win the fight against mealtime misery’ by settling your stomach back down after the latest meal.

And if it wasn’t digestion issues in the Echo, it was suggestions on how to deal with rheumatic pains, or even heals, blisters and cuts.

Other adverts were educational and instructive and they were designed to help Britain win the war against hardship.

If you saved money, life would be that bit easier.

One of them promised a 2 pence refund on every empty bleach cleaner bottle which was returned because they were in short supply.

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