Nine Victoria Crosses were awarded for acts of individual bravery, one to Private Tommy Holmes, who single-handedly knocked out two machine guns, captured a pillbox and took 19 prisoners.

Under his direction, hundreds of reinforced concrete pillboxes were built on the beaches, or sometimes slightly inland, to house machine guns, antitank guns, and light and heavy artillery.

Under his direction, a string of reinforced concrete pillboxes was built along the beaches, or sometimes slightly inland, to house machine guns, antitank guns and light artillery.