The days leading up to D-Day landing June 1944. ÉIRE signs to be completed and visible from the air by 03/06/44.

In Documents from G2, marked “Secret”, 30th May 1944, Air Reconnaissance Observation of the LOPs from 1,500ft, work was to be completed by Saturday evening, 3rd June 1944.

63. Portacloy “Site could be better, but sat. - would prefer it a little bit back from the edge-work not completed or painted-old sign seen -too small”. (Given our knowledge of the sites in this area we are of the opinion that the site referred to here is possibly LOP64)

From the entries in the LOP63 logbooks, LOP_63_08 from 25/05/44 to 06/06/44 we can read the notes (see below). There is an urgency to have the work completed before 03 June 1944, The D-Day landing, Operation Overlord was to commence 06/06/1944.

ÉIRE sign

25.05.44 15.00 D.O.rang up also at 17.25 re word EIRE ( i 4858 )

26.05.44 15.55 District officer rang up asking if men were working today on EIRE

26.05.44 18.48 Oc no 1 sub depot Castlebar rang up asking if the word EIRE was completed and also no 63 and if not to tell the corporal to get some more men and have it completed by Monday and not to hold up the engineers

27.05.44 15.30 Hrs DO rang ordering work to continue sunday on word EIRE (page 7)

28.05.44 16.45 District Officer rang up re word EIRE (page 8)

28.05.44 16.55 Duty Officer Athlone rang up asking report on word EIRE and figure 63 (page 8)

30.05.44 16.30    Caulfield’s handwriting Personnel alert Everything correct (page 9) EIRE sign and not ready for engineers . Sargt McNally and party arrived at 16.00 Hrs . no unofficial phone calls .

31.05.44 16.15 Command engineer Rang up re Lt Malone coming to LOP (page 10) (i4890)

01.06.44 18.00 District Officer rang up re work of engineers (page 11) ( i4901)

01.06.44 18.00 Sgt McNally and Party of Engineers left

02.06.44 18.55 District Officer rang up re work of Engineers ( i4901)

02.06.44 20.15 CBar 48 rang up re work of Engineers

02.06.44 22.10 District Officer rang up re Engineers Work on Word EIRE today

03.06.44 20.00 CBar 48 rang up asking did Engineers work today or was work completed .Told him day was bad for work. DO rang up re work of engineers today Weather overcast sea moderate (i4904)

04.06.44 16.25 District Officer rang up (page 12)

04.06.44 18.20 c/bar 48 rang up re work of engineers

04.06.44 19.00 D.O. rang up

05.06.44 12.01 District officer rang up

05.06.44 15.00 Corporal Connolly and party of engineers finished work on EIRE

05.05.44 18.00 District Officer rang up enquiring was the (?) Engineers finished their work .

06.06.44 02.20 District Officer rang up i4908 Note the BAD weather is recorded.

Note also that EIRE sign at LOP 63, Portacloy in the G2 document above, Notes on L.O.P’s. 30/5/44 Arial Observations. Observationsat 1,500 feet. The EIRE signs visibility is remarked upon .

The frame around it perhaps is to increase the visibility from the air ?

All documents courtesy of Military Archives, Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin