Vicky McClure explores what life was like for troops in My Grandad's War clip

In a new clip of the programme, we see McClure don the classic battle dress to learn just how the "hell of D-Day" unfolded. We soon see her attempting to wade in and out of the sea in battle dress, to experience just a little of what it may have been like on D-Day for the troops who assaulted the Normandy beaches.

In the clip, historian Stephen Fisher reveals: "Many of the landing craft couldn't get that close to the beach. For the average infantry man landing on D-Day, as well as their surge battle dress, which would absorb a lot of water, they're carrying very heavy webbing equipment loaded with ammunition, their small pack on their back loaded with 48 hours worth of supplies. And, of course, their boots have their gaiters fit and virtually just filled with water as soon as they step into the sea."

We can see in the clip that McClure is trying it out for herself and can instantly feel the freezing cold of the water.

Fisher says: "There are many, many cases of troops trying to get off of their landing craft into water that was far too deep for them and never even making it to the shore."

Like the troops of D-Day, McClure's plan is to wade out as far as possible and then head for the beach as quickly as possible, attempting to run under the weight of her wet uniform. But she admits: "That's the heaviest feeling, it weighs more than me!"

Watch the clip below.

In the one-off programme, McClure wants to understand more about her grandad's experience and, as per the synopsis, "how a young lad from Nottingham found himself in the Royal Navy and at the centre of a world-changing battle on the Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944".

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The synopsis for the show continues: "After learning about Ralph’s early life, they head to Portsmouth where Ralph shows his granddaughter the ropes aboard one of the last remaining WWII landing craft. Finally, Ralph takes Vicky back to Normandy, to the beach he last visited almost 80 years ago on D-Day.

"The candid programme provides viewers with an opportunity to see Vicky as she celebrates her ‘legend’ of a grandad and pays tribute to the heroes who never came home."
Vicky McClure: My Grandad's War airs on ITV1 at 9pm on Monday 5th June. Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on tonight.

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