On April 9th 1940 Denmark was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany. Thousands of Danish sailors were cut off from their homeland.
Many Danish ships headed for Allied ports, and a large number of the Danish seamen chose to enter Allied service. More than 30 Danish ships were involved in the invasion in Normandy in June 1944, including at least 24 sailing under the Danish national flag, Dannebrog.
Altogether, more than 800 Danish sailors were involved during the landing operations in Normandy.
More than 6,000 Danish sailors were in Allied service during the 1940-45 war. As a consequence of their convictions and actions, more than one in six of them made the ultimate sacrifice, and did not live to see Denmark again.
King George VI said in Parliament: "This would not have been accomplished without the splendid bravery of our merchant seamen and those of the United Nations and Denmark."