History is often remembered through major events, maps and statistics. Yet those moments were ultimately experienced by individuals; ordinary people stepping into extraordinary circumstances.

This piece depicts soldiers landing on Utah Beach during the Normandy landings of 1944. Standing at the edge of the water, they are only moments away from moving inland and into one of the most significant military operations in modern history. What lies ahead is uncertain, but there is no turning back.

When we look at photographs and film footage from the Second World War, it can be easy to view the people in them simply as figures from history. Yet each of those individuals had a life beyond the uniform. They had families, friendships, ambitions, routines and plans for the future, much as we do today. Many were young people whose lives would be changed forever in the hours that followed, and some would not survive them.

That contrast is part of what makes these images so powerful. A single moment can separate an ordinary day from a life-changing event. Standing on the beach, none of the soldiers could know how their stories would unfold.

Utah Beach remains one of the defining locations of the Second World War. This piece is a tribute to those who crossed it, and a reminder of the human stories that sit behind the history.