This special D-Day live page focuses on how D-Day unfolded, as if it were a modern-day breaking news story
It includes accounts from people across the south who were there, their surviving family members and historians
Thursday 6 June is exactly 80 years since the Allied troops landed on the beaches on Normandy in the first stage of reclaiming Europe from the Nazis
The weather was crucial to the 6 June Normandy landings
See where the troops landed across the northern coast of France
The capture of Pegasus Bridge was an early development
Troops from Berkshire were successful in destroying some of the German defences
Halifax bomber crews from Dorset towed six gliders into occupied France landing allied troops
Mulberry Harbours were giant artificial harbours used by the Allies for landing troops
Hampshire soldiers captured the town of Arromanches
Troops from Oxfordshire helped the wounded on Sword beach
A total of 4,415 Allied personnel died on D-Day
See some colourised photos from D-Day itself
And that concludes our news on this the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
D-Day was only the beginning of the end - Allied forces still faced months of fighting before Nazi Germany was eventually defeated in May 1945, bringing World War Two to an end in Europe.
Image source, PA MediaRAF veteran Bernard Morgan, 100, salutes the fallen at Bayeux War Cemetery
Aircrews at RAF Tarrant Rushton are awaiting the all-clear to take off as they start their second big mission of D-Day.
The airfield's Halifax bombers delivered the first six gliders into France in the first operation of the invasion just after midnight.
They’re now preparing for a second drop to provide much-needed heavy weaponry to support allied troops as they advance into Nazi-occupied Europe.
Bob Seymour's father, Robert Seymour, was one of the navigators on board a tug
It has truly been the longest day for the airborne troops of the 2nd Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, led by Maj John Howard.
As part of the 6th Airborne Division, their successful mission to capture bridges over the Caen canal and the River Orne was the first operation of D-Day.
It was achieved in just a few minutes after they were dropped in gliders shortly after midnight.
The men stayed at the bridge until they were relieved by reinforcements and have now reached the town of Ranvilles for some well-earned rest.
Major Howard’s daughter is Penny Bates
Meanwhile, men from the 5th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment are resting at the railway station of Bernieres sur Mer after a long day on Juno beach.
The troops landed this morning immediately behind the first Canadian invasion forces.
They’ve been responsible for destroying enemy defences and securing the beach so reinforcements can be landed safely, and had achieved this by midday.
Major Basil Tarrant, who was part of the battalion, reportedly took some time to collect a souvenir - as his son, TV present Chris Tarrant explains.
Chris Tarrant describes what was "nicked"...
Image source, Royal Hampshire Regiment MuseumSoldiers captured the town of Arromanches, accompanied by their newly-acquired German attack dog
Soldiers from the 1st Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment have achieved their objective of capturing the town of Arromanches.
They marched into the town this afternoon, after first landing on the beach codenamed Gold at 07:30.
They have had 68 casualties but their operation has been a success overall.
The soldiers have taken a number of prisoners at Arromanches, including a rather unusual one.
Susannah Jarvis, curator of the Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum, explains.
Image source, Royal Hampshire Regiment MuseumThe attack dog, later became the regiment's mascot and was renamed Fritz
Quote MessageOne of the things we took with our prisoners was a German attack dog, who had been trained like police dogs to bring down the enemy and he was a massive Pyrenean mountain dog. Officially he was supposed to be put down, but we decided to keep him. So he went into quarantine, he was renamed Fritz because they thought that was a German name and he became the regimental mascot until his death in 1949.
Susannah Jarvis, Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum
Image source, Royal Hampshire Regiment MuseumHe served with the regiment until his death in 1949
Hospital ships that sailed from the south coast of England with the invasion fleet are filling up with casualties, with some preparing to bring the first of the wounded back from the beaches of Normandy.
One of the ships is the converted passenger ferry HMS Prague with a British crew and US medical staff on board.
The ship is currently operating off the beach codenamed Omaha, which has seen the highest casualty numbers.
HMS Prague will bring the wounded back to Southampton.
However, the ship set off with a stowaway onboard.
Helen Wallbridge, a community archaeologist based in Southampton, explains...
Who was the stowaway?
Meanwhile, airfields in Berkshire – at Greenham Common, Membury and Aldermaston - are incredibly busy.
The bases are all being used by the US Air Force.
All three airfields saw operations in the early hours of this morning to drop American airborne troops in gliders and paratroopers into Normandy.
They’re preparing for a second round of drops tonight.
Chris Netherclift is a battlefield historian
Preparations for this next phase of airborne operations are also being made in Oxfordshire.
Aircraft from RAF Brize Norton will tow gliders of the 6th Airlanding Brigade, while planes from RAF Harwell will tow more troops from the 2nd battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire regiment in Horsa gliders.
Duncan Parsons works at the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum – his great-uncle was on one of those gliders
Image source, Andrew Wright CollectionFifty-eight Halifax bombers and their gliders took off from Tarrant Rushton on D-Day
Bomber aircraft operating out of RAF Tarrant Rushton in Dorset are preparing for their next mission to tow more gliders – loaded with troops and supplies – into Normandy to bolster the allied invasion.
The mission will also be unusual for the fact that the planes will be flying in daylight.
Dr Seb Ritchie, from the RAF’s Air Historical Branch, explains why this was a success
At the naval HQ Southwick House, the movements of all of the ships have been plotted throughout the day on a huge map.
And at Fort Southwick, members of the Women's Royal Naval Service - knowns as Wrens - are working in secrecy, deep underground, to communicate with the vessels.
Richard Callaghan is the curator of the Royal Military Police Museum at Southwick House
The D-Day landing beaches extend over 45 miles (70km) from Sainte-Marie-du-Mont to Ouistreham
British troops establish a foothold on a beach codenamed Gold.
In addition, Canadian forces established themselves on another beach - Juno - and the British got on to Sword beach.
American soldiers also managed to land on the westernmost beach - Utah - without major casualties.
But at nearby Omaha beach, the US force suffered serious losses. The naval barrage and bombing raids on the German defences were ineffective and the Americans encountered a crack division of German troops.
Image source, ReutersMembers of an American landing party assist troops whose landing craft was sunk by enemy fire off Omaha beach
Image source, ReutersUS Army soldiers of the 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, move out over the seawall on Utah Beach
Image source, US National ArchiveUS Army troops in a landing craft approach Omaha Beach
In the first glider release of D-Day from Tarrant Rushton, men from the 2nd Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light infantry, led by Maj John Howard, were earlier successful in quickly achieving their objective of capturing two bridges over the Caen canal and River Orne.
They’ve successfully seen off some counter attacks.
Maj John Howard's daughter, Penny Bates, has been recalling her father's memories of D-Day
Quote MessageThis plane came over and it dropped a shell and they all just waited for this bridge to go up. It bounced off the bridge, into the river and they realised it was a dud. So many of the Polish that were making these under the German's orders, they used to, every so often, try and disable the bomb and we sort of think that one's for Poland.
Penny Bates, Maj John Howard's daughter
In a few hours time, a new wave of flights will commence from RAF Tarrant Rushton in Dorset as part of a mission codenamed Operation Mallard.
Halifax bombers from the airfield will tow Horsa and Hamilcar gliders, containing troops and machinery, to Normandy to support the invasion forces.
The aircrews from the base were involved in operations overnight to drop the first wave of troops into occupied France.
Bob Seymour’s father, Robert, was the navigator on one of Tarrant Rushton’s bombers
Further troops and supplies have been landing at the beach, codenamed Juno, after it was secured by soldiers from the 5th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment.
The men landed this morning immediately behind the Canadian invasion forces and set up the first medical station to open on the beaches.
It then built tracks to carry vehicles over the sand, so supplies could be unloaded from ships waiting off shore.
Despite bombing this afternoon, the work of unloading has carried on steadily since midday.
Image source, Getty Images'Mulberry', the secret floating harbour, being put to good use on Omaha beach in Normandy as a large truck drives over one of the pontoons
Quote MessageFor the morning, their brief really was to get through the German resistance - wipe them out or force them to run which is basically what they did. And then the brief was 'stick around, we want to really solidify our presence in this area'. They build these great big mulberry bridge things so tanks could come in, they were being pounded by the Luftwaffe a lot because they were sitting ducks really on the beach.
Chris Tarrant, Maj Basil Tarrant's son
Image source, Getty ImagesBritish soldiers on Sword beach
Soldiers from the 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry are helping the wounded on Sword beach.
Lt Col Ingram Murray is a retired army officer who volunteers at the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum
Specially-trained French spies have been actively helping the allied troops by reporting the location of advancing German forces.
Back in the Berkshire village of Hurley, more than 100 American secret service staff are decoding messages from these spies in France – recruited in an operation codenamed Sussex.
Phil Mullins is the local historian who researched its history.
HMS Daedalus at Lee-on-Solent is set to become the busiest airfield of D-Day.
Some 159 aircraft are on track to fly 435 sorties, responsible for the air-spotting operation.
The aircraft are working in pairs to pinpoint German defences to improve the effectiveness of the naval bombardment.
Dr Seb Ritchie is from the RAF’s Air Historical Branch
There’s been a partial breakthrough for American forces at the beach codenamed Omaha, nicknamed “Bloody Omaha”, after more than 2,000 casualties.
Troops who captured the town of Colleville Sur Mer are currently facing a fierce counterattack.
But Germans on the beach are now surrendering and the ship USS Harding has destroyed the church at Verville-sur-Mer, which is believed to have housed an enemy position.
Derek Luckhurst is the founder of the Castletown D-Day Centre in Portland
Quote MessageThe troops on the beach had made their way over the bluffs towards the objectives of the day - but none of the objectives of the day [key strategic towns beyond the beach] were actually achieved. And indeed it took another seven days for Omaha beach to be declared completely safe because it was still in reach of the large 88mm guns.
Derek Luckhurst, Castletown D-Day Centre