ARROMANCHES/SAINT-COME-DE-FRESNE
Calvados - 10 km north-west of Bayeux
The British roughly engaged Wiederstand Nest 37
On Gold Beach in Normandy, the situation of Arromanches-les-Bains was particular : the beach was embedded between two twenty meters height cliffs, where the defences had been built by the Germans. At 7:30 a. m, on 6 June 1944, the British troops – the 1st Hampshire and the 1st Dorset - landed eastward from Arromanches, in Le Hamel, without artillery support. In this area the fortifications of the beach were built up with two strong points : the WN 36 and the WN 37. In a short time the 1st Hampshire lost three commander-in-chief facing WN 37. The breakthrough was achieved in the afternoon with the landing of tanks and reinforcements. Vehicles and infantry quickly moved inland. A company of New-Hampshire liberated Saint-Côme-de-Fresné, after heavy shelling of open sea anchored battleships. The British entered in Arromanches-les-Bains in the evening around 9:00 p. m.
  
 
     
 
 
     
   
The Landing museum
Arromanches
This museum was inaugurated in 1954; it explains, using a scale model and a film, how the formidable technical challenge of the Arromanches artificial harbour was managed. The liberation of Normandy is displayed through expositions showing off the Nations who fought on the battlefield. Outside, military equipments are exposed.
 
 
  Arromanches 360
Arromanches
In a nine screens circular room, one can watch a 18 minutes film entitled "Price of Freedom", whose shots are taken from library pictures and contemporary films.
  Royal Engineers monument
Arromanches
Situation : on the place near the observatory (near Arromanches 360 cinema)
    Free French Air Forces stele
Arromanches
This stele honors Air Force General Michel Fourquet, "Companion de la Libération" and Squadron leader of "Lorraine" Squadron.
Situation : on the place near the observatory (near Arromanches 360 cinema)
  Sherman tank
Arromanches
This tank belonged to General Leclerc 2nd French Armoured Division.
Situation : close to the Landing museum (take a street going up right of the Landing museum)
 
American M3 half-track   Arromanches
This armoured half-tracked vehicle was the American standard vehicle; more than 40 000 vehicles were built, it was originally a troops transport but it was manufactured in many series.
Situation : near the Landing museum
  British antitank gun
Arromanches
This six pounders antitank gun was brought into service at the end of 1941, and was delivered in great quantity to the Russian Red Army.
Situation : near the Landing museum
  Bofors gun
Arromanches
This 40 mm anti-aircraft gun was built in the factories of the swedish manufacturer AB Bofors, whose licence was sold to many European countries; the Great-Britain and the United States built thousands for their armies.
Situation : near the Landing museum
    British 25 pounders gun
Arromanches
This field artillery gun (Ordnance QF) was one of the most successful British weapon, it was used on all battlefield during the Second World War.
Situation : near the Landing museum
  Mulberry B monument
Arromanches
This monument remembers the major role of Arromanches artificial harbour from June to November 1944. It was inaugurated on 6 June 2000 by Winston churchill’s daughter.
 Situation : near the Landing museum
  Royal logistic Corps plaque  Arromanches
This plaque points out the major role of men of the Royal Army Service Corps, the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, the Royal Army Pioneer Corps, the Army Catering Corps, and the Postal and Courier Service of the Royal Engineers who were engaged in Normandy Landing.
Situation : near the Landing museum
  British Royal Navy plaque
 Arromanches
This plaque is in memory of the British sailors who piloted boats and landingships that landed on the Normandy beaches in 1944. (LST and Landing Craft association)
Situation : near the Landing museum
  Merchant Navy plaque
Arromanches
This plaque is in memory of sailors of the British Merchant Navy, who died during Neptune Operation on 6 June 1944.
Situation : près du Musée du Débarquement
    18 June stele
Arromanches
This stele remembered the "Appel du 18 Juin" of General de Gaulle, commander-in-chief of Free French Forces.
Situation : near the Landing museum
     
  General Stanier stele
Arromanches
This stele is dedicated to General Sir Alexander Stanier, commander-in-chief of the 50th Northumbrian British Infantry Division.
Situation : près du Musée du Débarquement
  Relief of artificial harbor
Arromanches
Some steel and concrete elements of artificial harbor “Mulberry” B can be seen at low tide.
Situation : facing the Landing museum, on the beach
 

Groupe Lorraine FAFL stele
Arromanches
This stele commemorates "Groupe Lorraine" Squadron of the Free French Air Forces, and all the campaigns from 1940 to 1944. The crew of a plane, crashed in the ocean, on 6 June 1944 is also honored.
Situation : sur le parking en face de la poste

  
  6 June 1944 bells plaque
Saint-Côme-de-Fresné
This plaque remembered that the bells of the church rang on 6 June 1944, to announce the landing of Allied forces on french soil.
Situation : at the outside, on the wall of Saint-côme-de Fresné church
ROAD MAP
 
INTERESTING WEB SITES

Calvados departmental tourism office web site
http://www.calvados-tourisme.com/
Arromanches les Bains city web site
http://www.arromanches.com
Personal web site about "how to do up a LCVP"
http://www.insidelst.com/LCVP.htm
Personal web site about D-day
http://www.6juin1944.com/
Personal web site about the Landing
http://www.dday-overlord.com
 
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