It is the story of Major Charles Osborne Dalton of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada who was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for leading his company over the beach, in the face of heavy machine gun fire, to destroy the pill box that was causing so many casualties .
It is also the story Lieutenant William David Grayson of The Regina Rifles, who was awarded the Military Cross for clearing enemy positions and taking enemy troops prisoner in the assault on Courseulles.
Then there were men like Sapper Walter Richard Coveyduck of the 5th Canadian Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, who disregarded enemy fire and exploding ammunition on the beaches, to help the landings take place and rescue the wounded. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Everyone on the beach that day admired the courage of the medical aid men who did their duty without hesitation under enemy fire. Corporal Douglas Bertram MacDonald of the 22nd Canadian Field Ambulance received the Military Medal for fearlessly carrying on aiding the wounded despite being wounded in the face.
The book includes the story of the men who piloted the boats carrying the assault troops in. Lieutenant J.C. Davie of the 528th Royal Canadian Navy LCA Flotilla made sure that his damaged craft and their crews got safely back to their ships, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
The battle was also fought in the sky, by men such as Flight Lieutenant James Robert Macelwain who flew his aircraft at low level over the Normandy coast on 6 June, attacking enemy gun positions and transport to give all aid possible to the troops on the ground. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions that day.