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THE EXTRAORDINARY bravery of our D-Day heroes is is brought vividly to life in these astonishing retouched photos on the 74th anniversary of the landings.

Some 156,000 Allied troops landed on five Normandy beaches during the operation on June 6, 1944, which would ultimately lead to the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of the Second World War.

U.S. troops from the USS Joseph T. Dickman wait to disembark from their landing craft as they approach Utah Beach on June 6 1944
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U.S. troops from the USS Joseph T. Dickman wait to disembark from their landing craft as they approach Utah Beach on June 6 1944Credit: Media Drum World

It was the largest seaborne invasion in history and saw 4,400 allied troops lose their lives.

American and British troops are seen making their way to the coastline by boat before clambering onto the beach on foot.

They show the gigantic scale of the operation that comprised of 6,939 vessels in the huge naval force and over 11,000 aircraft.

A Nazi general - Erwin Rommel - is also seen inspecting defences ahead of the invasion. He was away from the front celebrating his wife's birthday when the Allies began to land.

Another snap shows a German Panzer tank camouflaged in undergrowth.

A craft from the USS Samuel Chase lands troops of the US Army First Division on Omaha Beach
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A craft from the USS Samuel Chase lands troops of the US Army First Division on Omaha BeachCredit: Media Drum World
Glider pilots take the opportunity for a quick cigarette as they are crowded onto a landing craft
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Glider pilots take the opportunity for a quick cigarette as they are crowded onto a landing craftCredit: Media Drum World
Royal Marines descend from landing craft with their heavy backpacks, weapons and equipment on Juno beach
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Royal Marines descend from landing craft with their heavy backpacks, weapons and equipment on Juno beachCredit: Media Drum World
American troops arrive on a Normandy beach in a lengthy procession from their landing crafts
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American troops arrive on a Normandy beach in a lengthy procession from their landing craftsCredit: Media Drum World
British troops show their true grit as they help injured comrades onto Sword Beach
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British troops show their true grit as they help injured comrades onto Sword BeachCredit: Media Drum World

American troops are shown in an LCVP landing craft heading for Utah beach. They were among the 23,000 who landed there.

Others are seen wading through the waters of Omaha beach as they strike out for land.

Royal Marines are seen helping each other remove equipment from landing craft on Juno Beach.

The original black and white photographs were painstakingly colourised by electrician Royston Leonard, 55, from Cardiff, Wales, with each snap taking between four and five hours to complete.

The astonishing scale of the invasion can be seen in this image taken of the American forces arriving on Utah Beach
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The astonishing scale of the invasion can be seen in this image taken of the American forces arriving on Utah BeachCredit: Media Drum World
US Army Fourth Infantry Division troops take a breather after making their way onto Utah Red Beach
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US Army Fourth Infantry Division troops take a breather after making their way onto Utah Red BeachCredit: Media Drum World
British Airborne Pathfinders check their watches on the night before the invasion
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British Airborne Pathfinders check their watches on the night before the invasionCredit: Media Drum World
Reinforcements arrive by sea to bolster U.S. troop numbers on the Normandy front
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Reinforcements arrive by sea to bolster U.S. troop numbers on the Normandy frontCredit: Media Drum World

He said: “As time goes by I find I am doing more World War Two pictures and giving them a bit of colour helps the younger generation to connect and not just see them as something that happened long ago.

“In the images I see a world that has gone mad and men and women pulled from their lives to sort out the mess.

“World War Two shows people at their best and at their worst. We must look and learn and not let it happen again.”

The amphibious landings were preceded by extensive aerial and naval bombardment and an airborne assault - the landing of 24,000 American, British and Canadian airborne troops shortly after midnight.

The USS LST-21, manned by the U.S. coastguard unloads British Army tanks and trucks onto a Rhino barge in the opening hours of their invasion of Gold Beach
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The USS LST-21, manned by the U.S. coastguard unloads British Army tanks and trucks onto a Rhino barge in the opening hours of their invasion of Gold BeachCredit: Media Drum World
Troops load U.S. LSTs with artillery equipment, vehicles and troops in Brixham, England before they head for Normandy
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Troops load U.S. LSTs with artillery equipment, vehicles and troops in Brixham, England before they head for NormandyCredit: Media Drum World
Nazi General Erwin Rommel inspects defences ahead of D-Day. On the actual day of the invasion he was away from the front celebrating his wife's birthday
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Nazi General Erwin Rommel inspects defences ahead of D-Day. On the actual day of the invasion he was away from the front celebrating his wife's birthdayCredit: Media Drum World
German troops camouflage a Panzer VI Tiger tank with undergrowth in the Normandy village of Villers-Bocage
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German troops camouflage a Panzer VI Tiger tank with undergrowth in the Normandy village of Villers-BocageCredit: Media Drum World

Allied infantry and armoured divisions began landing on the coast of France at 6.30am.

The target 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.

The men landed under heavy fire from gun emplacements overlooking the beaches, and the shore was mined and covered with obstacles such as wooden stakes, metal tripods, and barbed wire, making the work of the beach-clearing teams difficult and dangerous.

Members of the 22nd Independent Parachute Company, 6th Airborne Division attend a briefing ahead of the D-Day invasion
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Members of the 22nd Independent Parachute Company, 6th Airborne Division attend a briefing ahead of the D-Day invasionCredit: Media Drum World
Troops establish a radio communications post after landing
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Troops establish a radio communications post after landingCredit: Media Drum World

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Strong winds blew the landing craft east of their intended positions, particularly at Utah and Omaha.

The Allies failed to achieve any of their goals on the first day. Carentan, St. Lô, and Bayeux remained in German hands, and Caen, a major objective, was not captured until July, 21.

Only two of the beaches (Juno and Gold) were linked on the first day, and all five beachheads were not connected until June, 12, however, the operation gained a foothold which the Allies gradually expanded over the coming months.

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