6th Airborne Division advance to the River Seine
Encyclopedia
The 6th Airborne Division advance to the River Seine occurred in August 1944, in the later stages of Operation Overlord
following the German Army's defeat in the Falaise pocket
.
The British 6th Airborne Division was one of the first Allied units to arrive in Normandy
on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and successfully secured the left flank of the invasion zone. Resisting efforts to dislodge them by the combined efforts of two infantry and one panzer division, a month later they were ordered to prepare to advance. Their objective was the mouth of the River Seine, 45 miles (72.4 km) away. To assist them in carrying out their mission, the division was reinforced by two British Commando brigades, a Belgian infantry brigade
and a Dutch infantry brigade
, as well as increased artillery support. To reach the Seine, the division had to cross three rivers which had been flooded by the Germans, and had only two roads available to them.
The division began their advance on 17 August after the German Army started to withdraw. Fighting several small battles, by the end of the month they reached their objective at the River Seine. Here the division halted until early in September, when they returned to England to prepare for further airborne operations later in the war.
. Their mission was to secure the left flank of the invasion zone, by occupying and dominating the high ground between the River Orne and the River Dives. Despite the parachute troops being widely scattered, they managed to complete all of their objectives. After six days of counter attacks by German armour and infantry, the division's position was secure by the end of the Battle of Breville
on 12 June. Thereafter, they suffered only artillery bombardments.
Almost a month later on 7 August, the division was warned to prepare to advance. Their objective would be the mouth of the River Seine. To reinforce the lightly armed and equipped airborne division, the British 1st
and 4th Special Service Brigade
s, together with the 1st Belgian
and the Netherlands Infantry
Brigades were placed under their command. Additional artillery support was provided by two field artillery
regiments, a medium artillery battery
, and a heavy anti-aircraft artillery regiment used in a field artillery role.
In the operation the 6th Airborne Division together with the 7th Armoured Division, the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division and the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, formed the British I Corps, attached to the 1st Canadian Army. When issuing his orders, Lieutenant General
John Crocker
, the Corps commander, aware that the 6th Airborne had almost no artillery, vehicles or engineer equipment, did not expect them to advance quickly. To reach the River Seine the division would have to cross three main rivers, along only two main lines of advance. One route was in the north, running along the French coast, while the other route was further inland between Troarn
and Pont Audemer.
By this stage of Operation Overlord
, German forces were of an unknown quantity and quality, but the division would be confronted by elements of Germany's 711th Infantry Division
, a part of the 15th Army. The 711th was composed of the 731st and the 744th Grenadier Infantry Regiments, together with artillery and other supporting arms. Even before the invasion the German division had not been considered a front line formation, but rather a static division on anti-invasion duties, and many of its units had not been at full strength. Furthermore, many of its troops were older than was normal in a first line division, or were conscripted foreigners from Poland and Russia. Being a static division, it was hampered further by having almost no transport of its own, and what was available was mostly horse drawn.
by the 51st Division. On 17 August, the 6th Airborne Division advanced. The 6th Airlanding Brigade
, with the Belgian and Netherlands brigades under its command, would advance along the French coastal route. The lighter forces of the 3rd and 5th Parachute and the two commando brigades would use the inland route.
When it was clear at 03:00 that the German Army in front of the division was pulling back, the first divisional unit to follow up was the 3rd Parachute Brigade. By 07:00 Bures
was occupied by the 8th and 9th Parachute Battalions and by 08:00 the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
was in the Bois de Bavent. The rest of the division started advancing around the same time. The 4th Special Service Brigade headed for Troan and Saint Pair, while the 1st Special Service Brigade made for Bavent
and Robehomme. In the north, the 6th Airlanding Brigade started moving along the road from Bréville
to Merville
.
. The 1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles
, unable to outflank the position, were ordered to dig in. The next day, the battalion was relieved by the Belgians and moved to a brigade concentration point, first at Le Plein and then at Troan, which they reached by the morning of 21 August. The 6th Airlanding Brigade advance continued from here with the 12th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment in the lead. The battalion was unopposed until that afternoon, when they had several casualties from German mortar and machine-gun fire. With night approaching the battalion had to dig in, and prepared to continue the advance the next day. At 03:00 on 22 August, the battalion started an outflanking attack on Branville
, which they occupied by 08:00, and later the same day they liberated Vauville and Deauville
, where they secured the high ground to the north of the town.
On 23 August a reconnaissance patrol from the 1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles crossed the River Touques by boat, but German resistance in the area was too heavy for the battalion to cross. Instead they moved upriver, intending to cross at Bonnerville sur Touques. Intelligence reported that the railway embankment on the river was held in force by the Germans, and this put attempts to cross the river there on hold. Elsewhere the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
reached the river. Major
John Howard
and his company swam across and established the battalion's bridgehead. With local French assistance and a collection of small boats and rafts, the rest of the battalion were also able to cross the river, entering Touques on 24 August. The next day they liberated Saint Philibert
, La Correspondence and Petiville, and reached Malhortie where the Germans were still defending the bridge and high ground. At 13:00, the battalion assaulted and captured the bridge intact, but German resistance prevented them from proceeding any further. On 26 August the advance continued, and at 19:00 Foulbec
was liberated. Circumstances had divided the 6th Airlanding Brigade's forces, and they were now advancing along two routes, with the Belgian and Dutch brigades along the coast and the airlanding battalions further inland. The 6th Airlanding Brigade battalions headed towards Honfleur
and Berville sur Mer, meeting slight German opposition, while the Belgians occupied the area around Berville and Foulbec.
. By nightfall the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was engaging the German rearguard and the 8th Parachute Battalion reached the outskirts of Goustranville. The next morning the brigade advance continued into Goustranville, where they came under heavy artillery fire from the high ground at Putot. Their attack faltered and Gale decided to restart the advance that night. He ordered the 3rd Parachute Brigade to secure the start point along the Dives canal and railway line, while the 5th Parachute Brigade assaulted the artillery position at Putot.
At 22:00 the 3rd Parachute Brigade moved forward, capturing the two canal bridges intact, and 150 prisoners from the 744th Grenadier Regiment. By 01:00 on 19 August, they were on the outskirts of Dozule
, but were then targeted by German artillery, causing several casualties. At the same time the 5th Parachute Brigade crossed the canal further south. The 7th Parachute Battalion were ordered to secure the area to the east of Putot-en-Auge
, while the 12th Parachute Battalion assaulted the village. En route the 7th Parachute Battalion came under fire from German machine-guns, then observed a line of troops approaching them. Initially thought to be the 13th Parachute Battalion they were soon identified as Germans, and the battalion ambushed them at a distance of 25 yards (22.9 m), causing severe casualties to the Germans.
When the 13th Parachute Battalion advanced close enough to Hill 13, they carried out a bayonet
charge on the summit. However, they arrived at the same time as a battalion of German reinforcements, who immediately counter-attacked, forcing the battalion back, inflicting several casualties. A follow-up attack by the Germans on the withdrawing British was stopped by an artillery barrage. During this time the 12th Parachute Battalion captured Putot-en-Auge, taking 160 prisoners and several heavy weapons.
The next day, 21 August, the 3rd Parachute Brigade advanced towards the River Touques at Pont-l'Évêque
, fighting through a German infantry and armour position at Annebault
. The village was eventually captured by the 8th Parachute Battalion after some heavy fighting. Here the brigade held firm while the 5th Parachute Brigade moved through them, and reached Pont-l'Évêque on 22 August. The 13th Parachute Battalion then led the brigade attack into the town; their objective was to cross both branches of the Touques in the town and form a bridgehead on the northern bank. At the same time the 12th Parachute Battalion would cross further upriver and secure a railway embankment at Saint Julien. At 15:00 the Royal Artillery laid down a smoke barrage to cover the advance of the 12th Parachute Battalion. The Germans opened fire when they were around 400 yards (365.8 m) from the river; only ten men from the battalion succeeded in crossing, and then became trapped on the far bank. Running low on ammunition, and without support, they eventually withdrew. The 13th Parachute Battalion fought its way into the town and across the first branch of the river, but German resistance was heavy and they could not get across the eastern branch.
On 22 August a patrol from the 13th Parachute Battalion succeeded in crossing the eastern branch of the river, and was quickly reinforced by the rest of the battalion. They fought for three hours to gain a proper foothold and were then forced to withdraw again. The next day, patrols from the 7th Parachute Battalion discovered that the Germans had withdrawn during the night, and they therefore crossed the river and secured the high ground to the north, closely followed by the rest of the brigade. On 25 August the 1st Special Service Brigade took over as the lead formation, and headed towards Beuzeville
, but once again German defences held up the advance. The 3rd Parachute Brigade and the 4th Special Service Brigade carried out a left flanking attack to capture the village, suffering heavy losses from German mortar fire.
Later that day, Gale received orders that the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division would take Pont Audemer. Convinced he was in a better position to capture the crossing over the River Risle there, he ordered the Netherlands Infantry Brigade to move and join the 5th Parachute Brigade in taking the town. On 26 August the men of the parachute brigade, some mounted on the Cromwell tank
s of the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, raced towards the bridge from the east while the Dutch headed there from the west. The Dutch brigade arrived first, just minutes after the Germans destroyed the bridge, slightly ahead of the 7th Parachute Battalion. The Dutch brigade moved to secure the heights overlooking the river, while the 5th Parachute Brigade occupied the town.
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
following the German Army's defeat in the Falaise pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
.
The British 6th Airborne Division was one of the first Allied units to arrive in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and successfully secured the left flank of the invasion zone. Resisting efforts to dislodge them by the combined efforts of two infantry and one panzer division, a month later they were ordered to prepare to advance. Their objective was the mouth of the River Seine, 45 miles (72.4 km) away. To assist them in carrying out their mission, the division was reinforced by two British Commando brigades, a Belgian infantry brigade
1st Belgian Infantry Brigade
The Belgian 1st Infantry Brigade, also known as the "Brigade Piron", after its commander, Jean-Baptiste Piron, was a Belgian and Luxembourger army unit which fought in World War II...
and a Dutch infantry brigade
Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade
During the Second World War the Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade was a military unit initially formed from approximately 1500 Dutch troops, including a small group guarding German POWs, who arrived in the United Kingdom in May 1940 following the collapse of the Netherlands...
, as well as increased artillery support. To reach the Seine, the division had to cross three rivers which had been flooded by the Germans, and had only two roads available to them.
The division began their advance on 17 August after the German Army started to withdraw. Fighting several small battles, by the end of the month they reached their objective at the River Seine. Here the division halted until early in September, when they returned to England to prepare for further airborne operations later in the war.
Background
On 6 June 1944, the 6th Airborne Division landed in NormandyNormandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. Their mission was to secure the left flank of the invasion zone, by occupying and dominating the high ground between the River Orne and the River Dives. Despite the parachute troops being widely scattered, they managed to complete all of their objectives. After six days of counter attacks by German armour and infantry, the division's position was secure by the end of the Battle of Breville
Battle of Bréville
The Battle of Bréville was fought by the British 6th Airborne Division and the German 346th Infantry Division, between the 8 and 13 June 1944, during the invasion of Normandy in the Second World War....
on 12 June. Thereafter, they suffered only artillery bombardments.
Almost a month later on 7 August, the division was warned to prepare to advance. Their objective would be the mouth of the River Seine. To reinforce the lightly armed and equipped airborne division, the British 1st
1st Special Service Brigade
The 1st Special Service Brigade was a brigade of the British Army. Formed during World War II, it consisted of elements of the army and the Royal Marines. The brigade's component units saw action individually in Norway and the Dieppe Raid , before being combined under one commander for service in...
and 4th Special Service Brigade
4th Special Service Brigade
The 4th Special Service Brigade was created in March 1944 from units of the Royal Marines. Due to the success of the Army Commandos’ operations in Norway, the Channel Islands, St...
s, together with the 1st Belgian
1st Belgian Infantry Brigade
The Belgian 1st Infantry Brigade, also known as the "Brigade Piron", after its commander, Jean-Baptiste Piron, was a Belgian and Luxembourger army unit which fought in World War II...
and the Netherlands Infantry
Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade
During the Second World War the Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade was a military unit initially formed from approximately 1500 Dutch troops, including a small group guarding German POWs, who arrived in the United Kingdom in May 1940 following the collapse of the Netherlands...
Brigades were placed under their command. Additional artillery support was provided by two field artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
regiments, a medium artillery battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
, and a heavy anti-aircraft artillery regiment used in a field artillery role.
In the operation the 6th Airborne Division together with the 7th Armoured Division, the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division and the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, formed the British I Corps, attached to the 1st Canadian Army. When issuing his orders, Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
John Crocker
John Crocker
General Sir John Tredinnick Crocker GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a British Army officer and corps commander during the Second World War.- First World War :...
, the Corps commander, aware that the 6th Airborne had almost no artillery, vehicles or engineer equipment, did not expect them to advance quickly. To reach the River Seine the division would have to cross three main rivers, along only two main lines of advance. One route was in the north, running along the French coast, while the other route was further inland between Troarn
Troarn
-References:*...
and Pont Audemer.
By this stage of Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, German forces were of an unknown quantity and quality, but the division would be confronted by elements of Germany's 711th Infantry Division
711th Infantry Division (Germany)
The 711th Infantry Division was a German Army infantry division in World War II.- History :The 711th Infantry Division was raised in May 1941 as part of the 15th wave of infantry divisions, and was moved to occupied France the following month, as part of the 15th Armee, to serve in standard...
, a part of the 15th Army. The 711th was composed of the 731st and the 744th Grenadier Infantry Regiments, together with artillery and other supporting arms. Even before the invasion the German division had not been considered a front line formation, but rather a static division on anti-invasion duties, and many of its units had not been at full strength. Furthermore, many of its troops were older than was normal in a first line division, or were conscripted foreigners from Poland and Russia. Being a static division, it was hampered further by having almost no transport of its own, and what was available was mostly horse drawn.
Breakout
The three infantry formations of the British I Corps were deployed with the 6th Airborne Division on the left, nearest the coast. In the centre was the 49th Division and on the right the 51st Division. The corps advance began on 15 August when the 49th Division captured Vimont, followed on the next day by the capture of Saint-Pierre-sur-DivesSaint-Pierre-sur-Dives
Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.The Abbey Church, was rebuilt in the 12th century and 13th centuries and restored and modified in the 16th and 17th centuries, replacing the former abbey church built in 1011 by...
by the 51st Division. On 17 August, the 6th Airborne Division advanced. The 6th Airlanding Brigade
6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was a glider infantry brigade forming part of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. Composed of three infantry battalions and supporting units, it was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division....
, with the Belgian and Netherlands brigades under its command, would advance along the French coastal route. The lighter forces of the 3rd and 5th Parachute and the two commando brigades would use the inland route.
When it was clear at 03:00 that the German Army in front of the division was pulling back, the first divisional unit to follow up was the 3rd Parachute Brigade. By 07:00 Bures
Bures-les-Monts
Bures-les-Monts is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
was occupied by the 8th and 9th Parachute Battalions and by 08:00 the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was formed in July 1942 during the Second World War; it served in North West Europe. Landing in Normandy on D Day, June 6, 1944 and in the airborne assault crossing of the River Rhine, Operation Varsity...
was in the Bois de Bavent. The rest of the division started advancing around the same time. The 4th Special Service Brigade headed for Troan and Saint Pair, while the 1st Special Service Brigade made for Bavent
Bavent
Bavent is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:...
and Robehomme. In the north, the 6th Airlanding Brigade started moving along the road from Bréville
Bréville-les-Monts
Bréville-les-Monts is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. It was the location for the Battle of Breville fought by the 6th Airborne Division during the Second World War.-History:...
to Merville
Bures-les-Monts
Bures-les-Monts is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
.
Northern sector
The 6th Airlanding Brigade, with the Belgians and Dutch under its command, had to contend with German delaying tactics. The lead battalions advanced under heavy mortar and machine gun fire, until stopped by a strong defensive position at CabourgCabourg
Cabourg is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region of France.Cabourg belongs to the Paris Basin. The commune is located next to the sea and the back country is a plain, favourable to the cereal culture...
. The 1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles
Royal Ulster Rifles
The Royal Ulster Rifles was a British Army infantry regiment. It saw service in the Second Boer War, Great War, the Second World War and the Korean War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1968.-History:...
, unable to outflank the position, were ordered to dig in. The next day, the battalion was relieved by the Belgians and moved to a brigade concentration point, first at Le Plein and then at Troan, which they reached by the morning of 21 August. The 6th Airlanding Brigade advance continued from here with the 12th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment in the lead. The battalion was unopposed until that afternoon, when they had several casualties from German mortar and machine-gun fire. With night approaching the battalion had to dig in, and prepared to continue the advance the next day. At 03:00 on 22 August, the battalion started an outflanking attack on Branville
Branville
Branville is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:...
, which they occupied by 08:00, and later the same day they liberated Vauville and Deauville
Deauville
Deauville is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.With its racecourse, harbour, international film festival, marinas, conference centre, villas, Grand Casino and sumptuous hotels, Deauville is regarded as the "queen of the Norman beaches" and...
, where they secured the high ground to the north of the town.
On 23 August a reconnaissance patrol from the 1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles crossed the River Touques by boat, but German resistance in the area was too heavy for the battalion to cross. Instead they moved upriver, intending to cross at Bonnerville sur Touques. Intelligence reported that the railway embankment on the river was held in force by the Germans, and this put attempts to cross the river there on hold. Elsewhere the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army.The regiment was formed as a consequence of Childers reforms, a continuation of the Cardwell reforms, by the amalgamation of the 43rd Regiment of Foot and the 52nd Regiment of Foot , forming the 1st...
reached the river. Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
and his company swam across and established the battalion's bridgehead. With local French assistance and a collection of small boats and rafts, the rest of the battalion were also able to cross the river, entering Touques on 24 August. The next day they liberated Saint Philibert
Saint-Philbert-des-Champs
Saint-Philbert-des-Champs is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, La Correspondence and Petiville, and reached Malhortie where the Germans were still defending the bridge and high ground. At 13:00, the battalion assaulted and captured the bridge intact, but German resistance prevented them from proceeding any further. On 26 August the advance continued, and at 19:00 Foulbec
Foulbec
Foulbec is a commune in the Eure department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Population:...
was liberated. Circumstances had divided the 6th Airlanding Brigade's forces, and they were now advancing along two routes, with the Belgian and Dutch brigades along the coast and the airlanding battalions further inland. The 6th Airlanding Brigade battalions headed towards Honfleur
Honfleur
Honfleur is a commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. It is located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie...
and Berville sur Mer, meeting slight German opposition, while the Belgians occupied the area around Berville and Foulbec.
Southern sector
In the south, the 3rd Parachute Brigade started crossing the River Dives on 18 August, delayed by the need to build a crossing to replace the bridge destroyed by the division during Operation TongaOperation Tonga
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the Normandy Landings during the Second World War....
. By nightfall the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was engaging the German rearguard and the 8th Parachute Battalion reached the outskirts of Goustranville. The next morning the brigade advance continued into Goustranville, where they came under heavy artillery fire from the high ground at Putot. Their attack faltered and Gale decided to restart the advance that night. He ordered the 3rd Parachute Brigade to secure the start point along the Dives canal and railway line, while the 5th Parachute Brigade assaulted the artillery position at Putot.
At 22:00 the 3rd Parachute Brigade moved forward, capturing the two canal bridges intact, and 150 prisoners from the 744th Grenadier Regiment. By 01:00 on 19 August, they were on the outskirts of Dozule
Dozulé
-See also:* Cross of Dozulé* Movement of Love Saint Juan Diego*Communes of the Calvados department-References:*...
, but were then targeted by German artillery, causing several casualties. At the same time the 5th Parachute Brigade crossed the canal further south. The 7th Parachute Battalion were ordered to secure the area to the east of Putot-en-Auge
Putot-en-Auge
-References:*...
, while the 12th Parachute Battalion assaulted the village. En route the 7th Parachute Battalion came under fire from German machine-guns, then observed a line of troops approaching them. Initially thought to be the 13th Parachute Battalion they were soon identified as Germans, and the battalion ambushed them at a distance of 25 yards (22.9 m), causing severe casualties to the Germans.
When the 13th Parachute Battalion advanced close enough to Hill 13, they carried out a bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
charge on the summit. However, they arrived at the same time as a battalion of German reinforcements, who immediately counter-attacked, forcing the battalion back, inflicting several casualties. A follow-up attack by the Germans on the withdrawing British was stopped by an artillery barrage. During this time the 12th Parachute Battalion captured Putot-en-Auge, taking 160 prisoners and several heavy weapons.
The next day, 21 August, the 3rd Parachute Brigade advanced towards the River Touques at Pont-l'Évêque
Pont-l'Évêque, Calvados
Pont-l'Évêque is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. It has given its name to a type of soft cheese .-Population:-Transport:* A13 autoroute* A132 autoroute...
, fighting through a German infantry and armour position at Annebault
Annebault
Annebault is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:...
. The village was eventually captured by the 8th Parachute Battalion after some heavy fighting. Here the brigade held firm while the 5th Parachute Brigade moved through them, and reached Pont-l'Évêque on 22 August. The 13th Parachute Battalion then led the brigade attack into the town; their objective was to cross both branches of the Touques in the town and form a bridgehead on the northern bank. At the same time the 12th Parachute Battalion would cross further upriver and secure a railway embankment at Saint Julien. At 15:00 the Royal Artillery laid down a smoke barrage to cover the advance of the 12th Parachute Battalion. The Germans opened fire when they were around 400 yards (365.8 m) from the river; only ten men from the battalion succeeded in crossing, and then became trapped on the far bank. Running low on ammunition, and without support, they eventually withdrew. The 13th Parachute Battalion fought its way into the town and across the first branch of the river, but German resistance was heavy and they could not get across the eastern branch.
On 22 August a patrol from the 13th Parachute Battalion succeeded in crossing the eastern branch of the river, and was quickly reinforced by the rest of the battalion. They fought for three hours to gain a proper foothold and were then forced to withdraw again. The next day, patrols from the 7th Parachute Battalion discovered that the Germans had withdrawn during the night, and they therefore crossed the river and secured the high ground to the north, closely followed by the rest of the brigade. On 25 August the 1st Special Service Brigade took over as the lead formation, and headed towards Beuzeville
Beuzeville
Beuzeville is a commune in the north-western part of the department of Eure in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.Located on the Lieuvin plateau, it is adjacent to the communes of Pont-l'Évêque, Honfleur and Deauville...
, but once again German defences held up the advance. The 3rd Parachute Brigade and the 4th Special Service Brigade carried out a left flanking attack to capture the village, suffering heavy losses from German mortar fire.
Later that day, Gale received orders that the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division would take Pont Audemer. Convinced he was in a better position to capture the crossing over the River Risle there, he ordered the Netherlands Infantry Brigade to move and join the 5th Parachute Brigade in taking the town. On 26 August the men of the parachute brigade, some mounted on the Cromwell tank
Cromwell tank
Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell ,The designation as the eighth Cruiser tank design, its name given for ease of reference and its General Staff specification number respectively and the related Centaur tank, were one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second...
s of the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, raced towards the bridge from the east while the Dutch headed there from the west. The Dutch brigade arrived first, just minutes after the Germans destroyed the bridge, slightly ahead of the 7th Parachute Battalion. The Dutch brigade moved to secure the heights overlooking the river, while the 5th Parachute Brigade occupied the town.
River Seine
Having reached the River Seine, the division was ordered to hold firm between Honfleur and Pont Audemer and prepare to return to England. In nine days of fighting they had advanced 45 miles (72.4 km), despite, as the divisional commander Major-General Gale put it, his infantry units being "quite inadequately equipped for a rapid pursuit," captured 400 square miles (1,036 km²) of German held territory, and took more than 1,000 German prisoners. Since landing on 6 June, the division's casualties were 4,457, of which 821 were killed, 2,709 wounded and 927 missing. The division was withdrawn from France, and embarked for England at the beginning of September.External links
- 6th Airborne Division in Normandy at Pegasus Archive
- 6th Airborne Division at Para Data