The Royal Winnipeg Rifles were in the first wave of landings on D Day, 6June 1944, landing at 7:49 at 'Mike Red' and 'Mike Green' beaches on the western edge of Courseulles, an area where the bombardment had missed its targets. The Winnipegs' landing craft arrived well ahead of their Duplex Drive Floating Tanks and AVRE's (Armoured Vehicles, Royal Engineers) and came under heavy fire from one of the strong points even while they were still far offshore.

The Royal Winnipeg Rifle War Diary grimly remarked: "The bombardment having failed to kill a single German or silence one weapon these companies had to storm their positions 'cold' and did so without hesitation". Tragically, many soldiers died the instant they waded into the chest-high water.

By six o'clock on the evening of D-Day, the Royal Winnipeg Rifles had gone further inland than most of the planners thought possible. They continued to valiantly fight throughout the Normandy campaign.