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HÉROUVILLETTE/LE
MESNIL/ESCOVILLE
Calvados
- 2, 6 et 5 km north-east of Caen
The air Operation Tonga west of river Orne
In
the night of 5-6 June 1944, 1,512 parachutists of the 6th Airborne
Division were dropped in three waves in Normandy. The Operation Tonga
was on the way. 13,000 German soldiers of the 711th Infantry division
were waiting the British, but according to the Intelligence Service
this division was of a low combative value. The first assault wave
had bridges on the river Orne, the Caen canal and the battery of Merville
as objectives; the second assault wave must reinforce the positions
of the first one, and destroyed several bridges on the river Dives;
the third assault wave dropped General Gale Commander of the 6th Airborne
Division, his staff, supplies and anti-tanks guns. In the evening
of 6 June, Hérouvillette and Le Mesnil were seized by the British
parachutists; Escoville was liberated on 7 June by the 2nd Battalion
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, they had to withdraw
when the 21th Panzer Division counter-attacked. Escoville was liberated
on 18 July with the Operation Goodwood.
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2nd Ox and Buck plaque
Hérouvillette
Plaque
dedicated to the soldiers who fought for the capture of Pegasus
bridge and in the area, and to the 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire
and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Situation : on the cemetery wall
located behind the church
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6th Airborne Division borne
Hérouvillette
Borne
marking the historical route recalling the fighting of
the 6th Airborne Division soldiers.
Situation : at the eastern
exit of the town
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3rd Parachute Brigade - Brigadier Hill - 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
stele
Le Mesnil
Stele
dedicated to Brigadier Hill, commander of the 3rd Parachute Brigade.
Stele commemorating the successful mission of the 1st Canadian Parachute
Battalion.
Situation : at the D513 and the D37B crossroads
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British liberators stele
Escoville
Stele
in memory of the British soldiers who liberated Escoville in July
1944.
Situation : in front of the church
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| ROAD
MAP |
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