At the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, the BBC had merged its two nationwide radio services, the National Program and the Regional Programme, into a single Home Service. On 7 January 1940, this was supplemented by a station aimed at the British Armed Forces serving at home (until Dunkirk in France and Belgium), the Forces Program. With the arrival of troops from the United States and Canada in the run-up to Normandy landings (also known as 'D-Day'), the Forces Program was replaced by a service more tailored to the new audience, the General Forces Programme, which also broadcast on shortwave for service people in the Asian theatre of operations. When Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of occupied Europe began, it was felt by the Allied governments that a joint service of entertainment, news and information for the fighting troops would be a better use of resources than providing separate services from American Forces Network, the BBC and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation stations. The combined station, called the Allied Expeditionary Forces Program was fully operated by the BBC on behalf of the Allied forces, began broadcasting on 7 June 1944 (shortly after 'D-Day'), on 514 metres (583kHz) providing a service dominated by cabaret and swing music. The station closed soon after Victory in Europe Day on 28 July 1945 when the British Forces Network, AFN and CBC had established their own services in the areas each force was occupying. The following day, the BBC Light Program began.

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