The story
Richard Todd was commissioned as an officer in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in 1941, then later transferred into the Parachute Regiment.
As a Captain on 6 June 1944, he was among the first British officers to land in Normandy as part of Operation Overlord. His battalion were reinforcements that parachuted in after glider forces had landed and completed the main assault against Pegasus Bridge near Caen.
He later met up with Major John Howard on Pegasus Bridge and helped repel several German counter attacks. As an actor, Todd played the part of Howard in the 1962 film The Longest Day, while Todd himself was played by another actor.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.