BURES-SUR-DIVES Calvados - 18 km east of Caen The bridges must be destroyed at all costs Lieutenant-colonel Pearson commanded the 8th Para Battalion, he could only gather 150 men out of 600, after the drop on 6 June 1944. The troops were scattered and many drowned in the flooded zone, heavily laden with their equipment. But it did not change the mission the Battalion was assigned. A bunch of paras moved in the darkness toward Bures, where they had to blow up two bridges on the river Dives. The mission was successful in the morning, the two bridges were broken and the parachutists retreated in Le Mesnil. The British came back in the area on 18 August, when the Operation Paddle was launched. The parachutists of the 3rd Para Brigade, under Brigadier James Hill, crossed Bures, and found the bridges destroyed on 6 June. But this time, the engineers of Major Roseveare had to build up the bridgeway.
Juckes bridge stele Stele commemorating the action of captain Juckes and his 3rd Section of the Royal British Engineer, who destroyed this bridge, on 6 June 1944, Situation : in the town, on the bank of the river Dives
Brigadier Pearson stele Stele dedicated to Brigadier Alastair Pearson, commander of the 8th Parachute Battalion who jumped in Normandy on 6 June 1944. Situation : at the edge of the road D37, 50 meters from the entrance of Bures stud farm					8th Parachute Battalion stele Stele in memory of the 8th Parachute Battalion soldiers who died for liberty on 6 June 1944. Situation : at the edge of the road D37, 50 meters from the entrance of Bures stud farm
ROAD MAP			INTERESTING WEB SITES Personal web site about the 6th Airborne Division http://www.ornebridgehead.org/frames.htm Personal web site about the Glider Pilot Regiment of the 6th Airborne Division http://www.gliderpilotregiment.org.uk/ Personal web site about the Normandy battle - texts and photographs http://www.warchronicle.com/dday/contents.htm Television and Radio National Institute web site – News extracts about D-day http://www.ina.fr/extraits/recherche_theme.php   All rights of photos, texts, maps and graphics design are reserved