The series opens with the optimistic anticipation and the grim realities of the D-Day Landings. It is easy to appreciate how frightened the men felt when they were being outgunned by superior weapons, knowing that there was nowhere to hide. This was the first time most of them had been in combat and the programme examines how they managed to take the beaches against the odds but at a price. Jim Kelly describes the scene that day: 'Utter chaos. Things were blown to bits... there was shell fire... all that sort of stuff. And men all over the place, lying all over the place'.