Overlord embroidery
Encyclopedia
The Overlord embroidery was commissioned by Lord Dulverton in 1968 and made by the Royal School of Needlework
from designs by artist Sandra Lawrence. It commemorates the D-Day
invasion of France
during World War II
.
It tells the story of Operation Overlord
which was the code name for the Allied invasion of Normandy
in June 1944. The embroidery begins telling the story well before the invasion, with war-time production and The Blitz
. It continues through the entry of the United States
into the war, and the planning and preparation of the invasion. The majority of the work covers the crossing of the English Channel
by the invasion fleet and the combat once the troops landed on the French coast. The embroidery ends with a scene of British infantry
advancing as German troops retreat across the Seine
.
There are 34 panels which together measure 83 metres (272 feet) in length. The Overlord embroidery is the longest work of its kind in the world and is 10 metres (33 feet) longer than the Bayeux tapestry
. Twenty embroiderers worked for five years to create the embroidery. Battledress khaki
and gold braid were applique
d onto the panels.
Since 1984 the embroidery has been housed in the D-Day museum
in Southsea
, Portsmouth
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Royal School of Needlework
The Royal School of Needlework is a hand embroidery school in the United Kingdom, founded in 1872.It has an archive of over 30,000 images covering every period of British history...
from designs by artist Sandra Lawrence. It commemorates the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
invasion of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
It tells the story of Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
which was the code name for the Allied invasion of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
in June 1944. The embroidery begins telling the story well before the invasion, with war-time production and The Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
. It continues through the entry of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
into the war, and the planning and preparation of the invasion. The majority of the work covers the crossing of the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
by the invasion fleet and the combat once the troops landed on the French coast. The embroidery ends with a scene of British infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
advancing as German troops retreat across the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
.
There are 34 panels which together measure 83 metres (272 feet) in length. The Overlord embroidery is the longest work of its kind in the world and is 10 metres (33 feet) longer than the Bayeux tapestry
Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth—not an actual tapestry—nearly long, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings...
. Twenty embroiderers worked for five years to create the embroidery. Battledress khaki
Khaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
and gold braid were applique
Applique
In its broadest sense, an appliqué is a smaller ornament or device applied to another surface. In the context of ceramics, for example, an appliqué is a separate piece of clay added to the primary work, generally for the purpose of decoration...
d onto the panels.
Since 1984 the embroidery has been housed in the D-Day museum
D-Day museum
The D-Day Museum is located in Southsea, near Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. Opened in 1984 by HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, it tells the story of Operation Overlord during the Normandy D-Day landings...
in Southsea
Southsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
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