During World War Two on June 6 1944, Allied forces started the liberation of Western Europe by launching the largest seaborne invasion in history on five different beaches in Normandy, France. Codenamed Operation Overlord in a joint operation by the army and navy, troops led by Britain, the USA and Canada participated in the landings on five beaches in Normandy. Troops led by Britain landed at beaches codenamed Gold and Sword, troops led by the USA landed at beaches codenamed Utah and Omaha, and the troops led by Canada landed at the beach codenamed Juno. As well as the main seaborne operation, support was provided by airborne operations from the RAF and USAAF on both flanks of the beaches, including 3,200 aircraft and gliders who delivered thousands of Allied paratroopers and gliders behind enemy lines in the early hours of the invasion.
Three flags have been flown today to represent the nations that led the landings. The flag at the bottom of the pole was the national flag of Canada at the time of the landings before it changed to the maple leaf design 🇨🇦 in 1965 that is used to this day.