Yes it's worth remembering that by the time D-Day happened the Allies had already invaded Europe (twice really: Sicily and then Italy proper) and were slogging

Yes it's worth remembering that by the time D-Day happened the Allies had already invaded Europe (twice really: Sicily and then Italy proper) and were slogging their way northward, dragging key German divisions away from the Eastern front and France Having fought across North Africa and then just fought thru Monte Casino my dad, also a kiwi, at least once noted that those d-day guys were "johnny come latelies" :-)