Case Study: D-Day’s Sunken Secrets – Cutting-Edge Television and Underwater Archaeology 

In 2013, I received an unexpected call from True North TV, an independent production company working on a major historical documentary for Channel 5 UK. The programme, titled D-Day’s Sunken Secrets, aimed to explore the hidden underwater battlefield of the Normandy landings using the latest in marine archaeology, technology, and historical interpretation. 

I was invited to contribute as an historical consultant, and ended up playing a much larger role than I could have imagined. 

The Project: Uncovering D-Day’s Forgotten Battlefield 

This was one of the most ambitious and complex TV productions I’ve ever been part of. The project coincided with a large-scale international seabed survey in the Baie de la Seine, involving: 

• Marine archaeologists from the US and UK Royal Navies 
• Hydrographers 
• The French Department for Underwater and Undersea Archaeological Research (DRASSM) 

The team used advanced side-scan and multibeam sonar to survey over 511 km² of seabed, identifying over 300 wrecks – from landing craft and tanks to remnants of the Mulberry harbours. These discoveries formed part of a French-led campaign to have the D-Day landing sites designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Alongside the UK’s Channel 5, broadcasters from the US and France also produced documentaries based on the same data, working collaboratively with the same diving and technical teams. 

My Role: From Desk to Submarine 

Initially, I was brought on board to analyse sonar data on camera, helping identify unknown wrecks and anomalies on the seabed. However, on the very first day I was told I’d be diving in a submersible the next morning. 

Over the course of four unforgettable days, my role expanded dramatically: 

• Filming multiple pieces to camera 
• Interviewed D-Day veterans on location 
• Completed three dives in submersibles  
• Contributed real-time analysis to the research and story development 

One of the most moving moments came during a dive with the late Jim Booth, a 91-year-old D-Day veteran, who as part of the Combined Operations Pilotage Parties had scouted the Normandy beaches the night before the landings. From his submarine (X-23), he had observed German troops playing football on the sand just hours before the invasion began. 

Impact & Legacy 

Working on D-Day’s Sunken Secrets was more than just a TV credit - it was a profound and personally inspiring experience. It helped spark the research and emotional drive behind my later naval history of the Normandy landings, Normandy: The Sailors’ Story. 

Key Highlights 

• Worked on a multinational underwater survey in support of UNESCO heritage goals 
• Played an expanded on-camera role in a major documentary production 
• Conducted deep-sea submersible dives to explore wrecks from D-Day 
• Inspired the writing of my book Normandy: The Sailors’ Story 
• Appeared in Channel 5’s prime-time documentary, broadcast in the UK, US, and France 

Reflections 

D-Day’s Sunken Secrets gave me a front-row seat to cutting-edge marine archaeology and a unique opportunity to help tell the untold stories of D-Day from the seabed up. It was an extraordinary blend of technology, history, and human experience — and one of the true highlights of my professional journey. 

*Image Credit: TrueNorth TV