Incredible story of Omaha Beach invasion retold - by knitter

In a mammoth labour of love, Jane Elsdon from Ipswich, spent six months knitting the beach scene, complete with sand, sea, four-inch soldiers and a house which the Germans were using as a stronghold, but which was captured by Allied forces.

Omaha Beach was a battle scene on June 6, with invading American forces facing fierce opposition from the Germans. The ordeal was dramatised in the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan, with soldiers being fired at even as they waded through the ocean to get to shore.

Jane sought to recreate the scene for as part of a project called The Longest Yarn. This project, a year in the making, has seen knitters from around the world joining forces to commemorate D-Day. Each of the 80 knitters has selected a scene to recreate in a one-metre by 50cm panel, which have been joined together to form an enormous tapestry.

Jane has spent six months recreating the scene of the invasion in knitted form. (Image: Jane Elsdon)

Jane has painstakingly reproduced the scene, right down to the colour of the sand. Image: Jane Elsdon (Image: Jane Elsdon)A knitted medic tries frantically to revive a fallen soldier. Image: Jane Elsdon (Image: Jane Elsdon)

The work is currently on display at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Carentan, France, where it will remain until September. After that, it will be making its way to Cape May in New Jersey, USA.

Jane had already spent several months meticulously researching the Omaha invasion. She even visited Omaha, taking photographs of the sand to be sure that the colour matched.

“I knew there was a real story to tell, and wanted to do these poor people justice – through my knitting,” said Jane. “We mustn’t forget the sacrifice they gave us.”

She will soon be travelling to France to visit her creation.