GRAYE-SUR-MER/SAINTE-CROIX-SUR-MER Calvados - 18 km north of Caen The Little Black Devils landed on Juno Beach On 6 June 1944, the 7th Canadian Brigade landed in Normandy on Juno Beach, defended by the 716th German Infantry Division, under General Richter. The special tanks were delayed, and the allied bombing left intact the major part of the German strong points. Therefore the losses were heavy in the first assault waves in front of Courseulles-sur-Mer and Graye-sur-Mer. The Royal Winnipeg Rifles, called the Little Black Devils, fought hand to hand to reduce the German machine-guns of the position coded Wiederstand Nest 31. The arrival of the 1st Hussars Regiment tanks finally cracked the gate open. The Canadians moved inland through the minefields and the marshes area, and liberated Graye-sur-Mer. They were joined by a company of the 1st Canadian Scottish Regiment, they captured Sainte-Croix-sur-Mer in the evening.
Churchill «One Charlie» tank - Breakthrough plaque Graye-sur-Mer Slow and heavily armoured, this tank was outdated but its many versions made it the second most manufactured British tank of the Second World War. A board remembers that this road was one of the main progression axis of the Anglo-canadian troops inland, and that General Montgomery, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King Georges VI, and General de Gaulle took it in June 1944. Situation : the tank lies at the entrance of the beach (near the Liberation monument), the board stands at the way in of the road leading to "One Charlie" tank
Canadian plaque Graye-sur-Mer Plaque dedicated to the Canadian soldiers who liberated the town on 6 June 1944. Situation : in Graye-sur-Mer church
							Airfield B3 and FAFL monument Sainte-Croix-sur-Mer Monument remembering that a RAF airfield was operational there from 10 June to 4 September 1944, the Squadrons - Ile de France et Alsace - of the FAFL landed there. Situation : 1 km north of the town, towards Ver-sur-Mer
Inns of Court monument Graye-sur-Mer Monument dedicated to the Inns of Court Armoured Regiment. Situation : at the western exit of Courseulles-sur-Mer, on the right of D514 road
								Royal Winnipeg Rifles and 1st Canadian Scottish plaque Graye-sur-Mer Two plaques dedicated to the Canadians of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and the 1st Canadian Scottish Regiment. Situation : north at the western exit of Courseulles-sur-Mer, on the left of D514 road, on the wall of an old washtub
Canadian soldiers plaque Sainte-Croix-sur-Mer Plaque in memory of the Canadian soldiers killed on 6 June 1944. Situation : on the wall of the cemetery beside the church
					Liberation monument Graye-sur-Mer Monument recalling the Landing of the Allied Forces on 6 June 1944. Situation : on Graye-sur-Mer beach (near Croix de Lorraine)
ROAD MAP
			INTERESTING WEB SITES Association web site about D-day Canadian troops http://www.waramps.ca/military/wwii/dday.html Charles de Gaulle fondation web site http://www.charles-de-gaulle.org/ Page of the Royal Air Force web site about the D-day operations http://www.raf.mod.uk/dday/index.html Page about the naval forces of D-day http://www.naval-history.net/WW2194406.htm Personal web site about D-day http://www.6juin1944.com/ Personal web site about the Atlantic Wall http://site.voila.fr/bunkers   All rights of photos, texts, maps and graphics design are reserved