Pegasus Bridge and Merville Battery

The Caen Canal Bridge (renamed the Pegasus Bridge after D-Day) has the honor of being one of D-Days first battle scenes. On the night of 5 Jun, a unit of Glider infantry of the British 6th Airlanding Brigade were tasked with taking and holding this bridge to ensure a crossing on the Orne river. 6 platoons were delivered by glider to the objective site and with complete surprise, overcame the German forces and secured the bridge.

6 Airspeed Horsa gliders delivered the Allies at approximately 00:16hrs on 6 Jun, the first assault of D-Day. Lightly guarded by the German 736th Grenadier Regiment, 716th Infantry Division, the attack was swift and short. One sentry escaped capture and ran for help while machine gunners opened fire at the men on the bridge. Lt. Den Brotheridge was wounded by the gun fire and later succumbed to the injury making him the first Allied soldier killed in action on D-Day.

The Pegasus Museum has an excellent display of paratrooper artifacts, a more detailed story of the assault along with a movie and most amazing, the only known Horsa glider from WW2.

Another Centaur with spotter markings

This goes on the halftrack below

Merville Battery was a costal fortification with 4-6′ thick, steel reinforced concrete casements housing 100mm cannons, a 20mm anti-aircraft gun, 15 machine guns positions and a 100 yard deep mine field. Fair to say, this was a secure compound. Approximately 130 men manned the site. Merville was capable of reaching Sword beach.

On 6 Jun, the 9th Parachute Battalion was to drop close to Merville and assault the compound. Several mishaps occurred and out of 600, only 150 made it to the battery. Lt. Colonel Otway landed with his “stick” 400 yards from the compound and moved into position to wait for reinforcements. When the first reinforcement glider overshot the landing area, Otway aware of time constraints, decided to have his men attack. With no heavy weapons, Otway’s men entered the battery and disabled the cannons. The surviving 75 men withdrew from the battery.

Camouflage

After their withdraw, the German soldiers that had hid in the tunnels retook the battery and repaired 2 of the guns. They continued to support fire until surrendering on 17 Aug.