Gold BeachThe Legend:
Owing to the direction of the tides, British troops began storming Gold, the middle of the five D-Day beaches at 7.30 A.M. The Germans initially put up robust resistance, but in sharp contrast to Omaha, an earlier aerial bombardment had wiped out much of their defenses. British warships also proved effective. The cruiser HMS Ajax, for example, displayed such pinpoint accuracy from miles away that it apparently sent one shell through a small slot in a German artillery battery’s concrete exterior—the military equivalent of a hole-in-one. Within an hour, the British had secured a few beach exits, and from there they rapidly pushed inland. They also captured the fishing village of Arromanches, which days later became the site of an artificial harbor used by the Allies to unload supplies... http://www.history.com SITES TO DISCOVER the 50th British Infantry Division Invasion at GOLD The eastern site of the King sector was entrusted to the 69th brigade of the 50th. It was the village of Ver sur Mer. The coastline was defended by a great number of the concrete German gun emplacements. The most dreadful was the bunker of the 88mm anti-tank gun. It is the target of the 5th Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment and the 6th Battalion of the Green Howards, supported by the tanks of the 79th Armoured division and the the 4/7th Armoured Battalion of the Royal Dragoon Guards. You can follow the steps of their advancement inland from the seafront through the German gun battery at Mont Fleury, to their link up with elements of the 3rd Canadian Division in the village of Creully. Arromanches Radar Station is another significant spot at the top of the bluff overlooking the Mulberry harbor and keeping the concrete emplacements for the large Wurtzburg radar. Asnelles sur Mer. Here where the German 88mm Anti-tank guns was located, you can enjoy the view from the beach and discover/ touch/ take a picture of this german bunker still accessible for the visitors.
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ArromanchesThe Legend:
The idea to provide the troops with the resupplying originates from no lesser than Sir Winston Churchill " If we can not take the harbours in Normandy, we will bring them WITH US". Two harbours were designed and constructed in less than ten months. They were both the size of Dover and were vital in getting the supplies to the Normandy beachheads . One was for the Americans at Omaha beach and one for the British, here at Arromanches... |
The Legend:
Around midnight, British airborne troops, along with a battalion of Canadians, dropped behind enemy lines to secure the invasion’s eastern flank, just as the Americans were doing near Utah. Within minutes, they had taken hold of Pegasus Bridge over the Caen Canal and nearby Horsa Bridge over the River Orne. The British then landed on Sword at 7:25 a.m., around the same time as at Gold . Although moderate fire greeted them, they soon secured beach exits with the help of the “Funnies.” Moving inland, they connected with the airborne units but faced relatively strong resistance in farmyards and villages...For them it will be the start of the operations "Charnwood" and "Goodwood" for the liberation of Caen... |
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http://www.history.com/
Located at the southern exit of the town Colleville-Montgomery, just on the road to Biéville-Beuville, this 24 hectare site, comprised of 18 casemates and underground fortifications built by the Germans between 1942 and 1944. It is the most interesting site for adults and kids.
June 6 it is the target of the Suffolk Regiment from the 3rd Division. It fought in France and Belgium in 1940 and was evacuated from Dunkirk. After arduous training, still with the 3rd Division in the United Kingdom, it landed as part of the Assault Brigade on 6 June 1944 on Sword Beach, Normandy. It fought with distinction throughout the Normandy campaign and thereafter in Belgium, Netherlands and Germany right through to the end of the war ending up near Bremen. |
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