The Americans in Dorset

Once the planners had finalised the D-Day invasion plan, which placed the First US Army on the western beaches of the Bay de la Seine, American troops started to arrive in Devon and Dorset. As American troops and material poured into Britain, from November 1943, Dorset became host to one of the D-Day assault divisions. The towns, villages and great houses of the county were surrounded by camps or literally taken over by units of 1st US Infantry Division or, as it was known, 'Big Red One'. Some 34,142 men and 3,306 vehicles were based in Dorset and bound for Omaha Beach – 'Bloody Omaha'.

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