Classified British Life-savers in D-Day Landings
From a woman who always advocates for our military… an insight into those clickers you see and hear in the movies!!
Acme 470 clicker used during 1944 D-Day landings as a means of communicating with allied troops
Photo – Evening Standard
In approaching the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, perhaps there is still history, unbeknownst to many, on safeguards instilled prior to 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landing upon five beaches of France’s Normandy region, June 6, 1944 – along a 50-mile stretch of heavily fortified coast. This particular defense was secretly crafted and classified by the British.
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Desperate bid to track down life-saving ‘clickers’ British soldiers used in D-Day landings
The Evening Standard (UK)
Olivia Tobin
Manufacturers from ACME Whistles are attempting to trace the “lost clickers” of the Normandy Landings, a life-saving tool of the invasion, to mark the 75th anniversary. The small metal device was used by troops abroad to try to determine if among friends or foes in pitch black conditions. Every paratrooper was issued a clicker and…
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Posted on May 11, 2019, in Current News, Uncategorized, WWII and tagged Airborne, History, Military, Military History, paratroopers, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 53 Comments.
Fascinating – never heard of them! Tahnk you for educating me, GP.
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No problem. Those little jewels saved many a life.
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Amazing!
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Let’s hope they find as many as they can. I suspect a lot were lost during the course of the war.
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Agreed, and thank you for reading here!
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I’m always struck by how it is the most simple things that are so important, what a wonderful post.
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I wonder how much we toss away today that people will be looking for in 75 years?
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I keep wondering the same, and I’m finding that some of the local museums are not interested, I guess unless you know the true value ….
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We even have Jerry Seinfeld’s “puffy shirt” in the Smithsonian, so no one really knows what will be a cherished relic, eh?!!
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I liked Seinfeld, but hardly worth preserving the puffy shirt – what service to humanity? lol
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LOL – exactly!!
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🙂
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Small enough but immensely valuable tool! I wonder how many men saved their lives on D-Day because of the clickers!
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I would venture to guess quite a few!!
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A classic example of something that was mass produced and only a few were saved (maybe people didn’t know what they were) and now they are very rare!
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Replicas are a dime a dozen, but I would love to have an original. I would make certain a museum got it though.
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A choice re-post gp
Great historical story and background on such an insignificant but valuable tool.
Wonder if any Australians would have been in possession of a Clicker.
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I imagine it could be quite possible. Thank you for reading this article, Ian!!
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Thanks, GP. I hadn’t known about these
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I’m glad you found Karen’s article interesting! A tiny piece of history that saved a lot of lives.
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Wow. How terrifying it must have been.
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I can’t even imagine.
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Now I am thinking about Halloween and the cricket toys we used to have, G. This is news to me. Interesting. Thanks for sharing. I wonder if they shot the guy who’d didn’t respond? Wouldn’t be wise to lose your cricket! –Curt
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I remember the cricket toys!! lol What a flashback! I imagine they’d treat it similar to not knowing the password of the day, eh?
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I found the story quite interesting, G. You can see what chaos would have been created had the Germans discovered the trick early!
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That would have been a total disaster!!
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Interesting, GP. Thanks
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Thanks for reading it, John!
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😊
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The British excelled in these kinds of things in WWII. For another example, they printed maps on silk and gave them to the troops. The silk wouldn’t make noise when it was unfolded and it wasn’t as noticeable as a paper map would be if the soldier were captured.
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That whole generation proved to be quite ingenious!! They came up with so many handle items we now take for granted.
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Interesting story about the clickers. Probably most were lost on the beaches during landing. I hope they keep you informed on how many were located.
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It would be great to have, I know that! Especially since everything I do collect will pass on to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans when I pass on (or maybe before, so I know it’s safely there.)
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Just spent a week in Normandy and have seen them in museums here.
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I imagine many were lost in France during that fighting. I’m glad some still exist.
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I knew that clickers were used, but not that they have not surfaced since D-Day. Fascinating post.
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I would imagine many were lost during those days and/or discarded by some who thought them worthless after the war. Yes, Karen did an outstanding job!
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I remember them being featured in the film, ‘The Longest Day’. That was the only time I recall them being mentioned. I suspect they would all have been left behind in Normandy. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Then you know what Karen is talking about here. A little piece of history all but disappeared.
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I’m sure there must still be one out there, GP. Probably in France somewhere. 🙂
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Wonder if someone wandering around Normandy with a metal detector might find one. (Unless they were not made of metal,)
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The paratroopers’ landing zones and wherever they were when they were told to no longer use them would be the best places to start looking!
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Oh wow who knew something like this exists. So wonderful that you do and shared it!
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Thank you, Michelle. Good to see you!
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😀
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How odd that these small gadgets are extremely rare. As an obsessive collector of memorabilia, I can understand the company’s frustration in their search for even one example.
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It would be amazing to have one, wouldn’t it?!!
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I’d love to have one for just a little while, but I’d feel obligated to donate it to the ACME people.
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All my stuff collected are going to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. But I hope someone helps them out!
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Great story. Never heard of these clickers before. Thanks for sharing!
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My father insisted he learn something new every day and I’ve tried to do the same! Internet sharing can be so informative when it wants to be! 🙂
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Thank you for sharing this article.
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