About D-Day Dodgers

During the war, a rumour spread among the soldiers that Lady Nancy Astor, an American-born member of British Parliament, called the soldiers that were fighting in Italy "the D-Day Dodgers". There is no record that she actually said this, but the name D-Day Dodgers was born and lives on in history. The name was hated by some but embraced by others.

The foundation is called the D-Day Dodgers Foundation because the men and women who served in Italy deserve to be in the spotlight, not to be in the shadow of D-Day in Normandy. It is also a homage to all the soldiers who fought the lesser known battles in Europe.

We have a mission, and that is to keep the memory alive of the fallen men and women during the Italian Campaign. Although many soldiers fought in what was believed to be the soft underbelly from Europe, many fierce battles were fought and many, many people died. Although less mentioned in history books, the battles in Italy were just as tough, just as hard and just as heroic as the ones we know from D-Day in Normandy. Valuable lessons were learned from the Sicilian Invasion. For example, the well known black and white striping on the planes during D-Day was a costly lesson learned during the invasion in Sicily. Planes were shot down by friendly fire and many soldiers died before they could fight.

Discover the island of Sicily and its rich history! Local team members of our foundation have excellent knowledge of the battles that took place in their hometowns. We can also recommend good accommodation for you to stay when you are there. So, when you plan a visit, please don't hesitate to contact us!