Southampton was the 'springboard' for D-Day and the liberation of Europe. The armada of ships needed deep water and long quaysides if operation OVERLORD was to be a success. It is estimated that over 2 million United States troops embarked from Southampton  in what the Commander in Chief described as a great and noble undertaking. Today a section of wall at the port that includes over 100 inscriptions (graffiti) made by waiting troops is eroding away. Thanks to funding from the National Lottery, the charity, THE MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY TRUST is using photographic techniques to make a lasting archaeological record of the inscriptions. Without these soldiers, today we would not have our freedoms and this project will be a memorial to their sacrifice. CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO BRING UP THE VIDEO.