‘Sober satisfaction’ and the battle to come: How The Scotsman reported the D-Day landings in 1944

The Scotsman of June 7, 1944

‘The Allied landings in France, which began at dawn yesterday, were stated last night to be proceeding in a 'thoroughly satisfactory manner'"

The almost matter-of-fact reporting in the first line of such a historic report belies the magnitude of what had taken place just hours earlier on the beaches of Normandy. It perhaps also reflects the scarcity of information, or at least details which could be printed, making it back to the UK.

But buried deep into the text of the report is a hint of the drama from the preceding days.

The following day featured the actions of Wing Commander Lumsden, of Napier Road, Edinburgh

"It can now be disclosed that the operation had to be postponed for 24 hours because of weather. At the time when it was originally planned to start the operation, experts said that bad weather was coming, and the postponement decision was taken. Twenty-four hours later it was blowing pretty hard from the west and north-west and clouds were coming over, but the experts said that better weather was coming, and, on the strength of that forecast, the authorities decided to go forward with the expedition. If the weather had failed us and remained as bad as it was at the time, the difficulties of the passage would have been very great, and it might have been disastrous."

10,000 tonnes of bombs

Under the header “Mammoth air support”, it was reported “the allied assault troops landed on the beaches of Normandy under the greatest air cover ever known. It is estimated that between midnight and early hours of yesterday morning at least 31,000 Allied airmen were in the air over France. This figure excludes airborne troops. Over 10,000 tons of bombs were dropped by Allied aircraft on invasion coast targets between midnight and 6am.

"A few minutes before the invasion got under way, six unescorted US Flying Fortresses swept over North-Western France to warn the people that the blow was about to be struck to liberate their homeland, and rained down pamphlets telling the French to seek safety in the open fields and to remain away from highways.”

The Scotsman's former offices on North Bridge, Edinburgh

The absence of German air defences was also noted by The Scotsman’s correspondent.

"The most surprising factor, perhaps, of the invasion to date has been the absence of the German Air Force. The Luftwaffe, in fact, has scarcely shown up, and up to some time yesterday morning only 50 enemy aircraft had been reported.

"This does not mean that the Luftwaffe will not show up in very large numbers."

‘Edinburgh man’ leads attack

By the following day, the headline was “Heavy fighting inland in France’ as The Scotsman reported a “stiffening of resistance”. Again though, there was cause for “sober satisfaction”. Further into the article – under the subheading “Enemy Destroyers. Coastal Command’s D-Day Attack. Led by Edinburgh man”, is a report of an RAF attack after it emerged three German destroyers had left port and were travelling “north at speed”.

"Within minutes the aircraft under the command of Wing Commander D.O.F. Lumsden, of 21 Napier Road, Edinburgh, were airborne, escorted by Mosquitoes of the Command. Wing Commander Lumsden is a son of Mr O.S. Lumsden, a retired member of the Indian Civil Service, and Mrs Lumsden.

It then went on to quote the Wing Commander.

"We passed over six large enemy minesweepers which opened up at us with flak – but we had larger game in view. A few minutes later I saw three more minesweepers which at first I mistook for the destroyers. We flew low to attack and then I realised what they were and cancelled the order to fire. We flew through their flak but ignored it.

"At last we sighted the destroyers. Flying out of the fading sunlight we seemed to catch them completely by surprise. It was to be a saturation attack and I led the first formation of cannon-firing Beaufighters in, flying low, and raking the enemy decks with shell fire. One bullet whistled through my windscreen. I squirted back, saw my shells hitting the bridge, and stopped the flak. Then followed the rocket-projectile Beaufighters. Their rockets seemed to whiz into the ships all over the place. They scored many hits and I saw an explosion on board one of the destroyers. Another destroyer caught fire, black oily smoke bellowed from it, and it swung round in a complete circle, then stopped. The third must have been on fire, too, as it slowed down and columns of smoke poured from it.”

‘Crisis’ is coming

Elsewhere, a piece under the byline Lieut-General HG Martin, “Daly Telegraph and The Scotsman Military Correspondent”, began “General Montgomery’s combined British, Canadian, and American Army Group has completed the first two stages of its great adventure. It has landed – it has cleared the beaches. Moreover, at all these beaches throughout these two days, reinforcements and stores have continues to arrive unchecked.

"Therefore, though there has been some bitter fighting, and the men are wet and very tired, they are none the less getting into shape to meet the inevitable counter-offensive. The enemy forces with whom the Allies have been engaged so far probably belong to static defence formations allotted to this sector of the coast. Such forces can fight well enough, though they have no transport allotted to them. No doubt however Field-Marshall Rommel has long since set in motion his mobile reserves towards this threatened sector of the Normandy coast. We may be confident that the Allies will meet this crisis – but it is a crisis that can hardly be long delayed.”