Pegasus Bridge before its replacement

Pegasus Bridge in 1944

Original Pegasus Bridge in the Pegasus Museum - July 2005

The replacement Pegasus Bridge in operation

The Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge over the Caen Canal, near Ouistreham, France. The bridge, also known as the Bénouville Bridge after the neighbouring village, was a major objective of the British 6th Airborne Division, which was landed units by glider near it during the Normandy Invasion on the 5th/6 June 1944. It was given the permanent name of Pegasus Bridge in honour of the operation. This name derives from the shoulder emblem worn by the attacking British, which is the flying horse Pegasus. Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe... Operation Neptune refers to the landing phase of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy. ... The American airborne landings in Normandy were the initial U.S. combat operations of Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy by the Western Allies on June 6, 1944. ... Operation Tonga: Pathfinders synchronising their watches in front of an Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle. ... 101st Airborne Division shoulder insignia Mission Albany was a parachute combat assault at night by the U.S. 101st Airborne Division on June 6, 1944, part of the American airborne landings in Normandy. ... 82nd Airborne Division shoulder insignia Mission Boston was a parachute combat assault at night by the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division on June 6, 1944, part of the American airborne landings in Normandy. ... 101st Airborne Division shoulder insignia Mission Chicago was a pre-dawn glider-borne combat assault in the American airborne landings in Normandy, made by elements of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division on the early morning of June 6, 1944. ... Mission Detroit was a pre-dawn glider-borne combat assault in the American airborne landings in Normandy, made by elements of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division on the early morning of June 6, 1944. ... During World War II, mission Elmira was the landing of a significant part of the the 82nd Airborne Division’s glider train in Normandy on the evening of 6 June 1944 as part of Operation Neptune, the assault phase of Operation Overlord. ... Combatants United Kingdom Germany Commanders General-Lieutenant Miles Dempsey, British 3rd Infantry Division Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Hans von Luck, German 21st Panzer Division Strength 28,845 Unknown Casualties 630 Unknown German defense at Ouistreham. ... This article is about the beach codenamed in WWII. For other uses, see Juno Beach (disambiguation) Combatants Canada Germany Commanders Major-General R.F.L. Keller, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Strength 15,000[1] 7,771 Casualties 340 dead, 739 other casualties... Combatants United Kingdom Germany Commanders Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey, British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss, German 352nd Static Infantry Division Strength 24,970 Unknown Casualties 400 altogether Unknown This article is about a World War II invasion. ... Combatants United States Nazi Germany Commanders Omar Bradley Norman Cota Clarence R. Huebner U.S. 1st Infantry Division U.S. 29th Infantry Division Dietrich Kraiss German 352nd Infantry Division Strength 43,250 Unknown Casualties 3,000 1,200 The build-up of Omaha Beach: reinforcements of men and equipment moving... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Raymond O. Barton Theodore Roosevelt Jr U.S. 4th Infantry Division Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben Dietrich Kraiss German 352nd Infantry Division German 709th Infantry Division Strength 32,000  ? Casualties 700 Unknown American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ... Pointe du Hocs location Preinvasion bombing of Pointe du Hoc by 9th Air Force bombers. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Richard Winters unknown Strength 13 60+ Casualties 4 dead, 6 wounded 15 dead, 12 prisoner, Wounded unknown The Brécourt Manor Assault (June 6, 1944) during Operation Chicago of the Normandy Invasion of World War II is often cited as a classic example of small... Combatants Aircraft of the RAF Second Tactical Air Force HQ of Panzer Group West Strength 40 Typhoons 61 Mitchells Casualties None recorded Killed: Sigismund-Helmut von Dawans and 17 other staff officers Wounded: Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg The Attack on Panzer Group Wests headquarters at La Caine in Normandy... This does not cite its references or sources. ... The Battle of Villers-Bocage (June 13, 1944) was an unusual clash between the British and Germans in northern France during World War II. Michael Wittmann, an SS-Obersturmführer, led a unit of six PzKpfw VI Tiger tanks of the 501st Battalion to secure the N175 road near Villers... Combatants Allied Powers Germany Commanders J. Lawton Collins Friedrich Dollman Strength Unknown 40,000 Casualties 2,800 killed, 5,700 missing, 13,500 wounded 39,000 captured The Battle of Cherbourg was part of the Battle of Normandy during World War II, it was fought immediately after the successful Allied... Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders Lieutenant General Richard OConnor SS General Paul Hausser Strength 1 armoured division 3 infantry divisions 1 armoured brigade 2 SS Panzer Divisions 5 Panzer battlegroups Casualties British VIII Corps 4,020 12th SS Panzer Regiment 324 25th SS Panzer-Grenadier Regiment 383 26th... Operation Goodwood was an Allied military operation of World War II from July 18 to 20 July 1944 taking place in Normandy some weeks following D-Day. ... During World War II, Operation Atlantic (Allies, 1944) was a Canadian offensive, part of the British great breakout tentative (Operation Goodwood) during the Battle of Normandy, on June 19th. ... During World War II, Operation Spring (Allies, 1944) enabled to secure territory gains around Caen and its surroundings during the Battle of Normandy, after Operation Goodwood. ... Combatants USA Canada Free France Germany Commanders General Omar Bradley, General George S. Patton General Philippe Leclerc SS General Paul Hausser Strength 8 infantry divisions, 4 armoured divisions 2 infantry divisions, 11 infantry battlegroups, 2 Panzer Divisions, 1 Panzergrenadier Division Casualties 1. ... Combatants Allied Powers Germany Commanders Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey SS General Paul Hausser Strength 3 armoured divisions, 3 infantry divisions, 2 armoured brigades rising to: 3 Panzer Divisions, 3 infantry divisions Casualties N/A N/A Operation Bluecoat was an attack by British Second Army at the Battle of Normandy... Combatants Allied Powers Germany Commanders Omar Bradley Hans von Kluge Strength 5 infantry divisions, 3 armoured combat commands 3 Panzer Divisions, 2 infantry divisions, 5 panzer or infantry battlegroups Casualties N/A N/A Operation Lüttich was a counterattack launched by German forces on the left flank of the... Combatants First Canadian Army Germany Commanders Lieutenant General Guy Simonds SS General Kurt Meyer Strength 2 infantry divisions, 2 armoured divisions, 2 armoured brigades 3 infantry divisions, 1 SS Panzer Division During World War II, Operation Totalise (Allies, 1944) was a ground attack on 7 August 1944 by British, Canadian... Operation Tractable was a military operation commanded by II Canadian Corps in Normandy in August 1944. ... Combatants North: United Kingdom Canada Polish Army in the West South: United States Free French Forces Nazi Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Omar Bradley Guy Simonds George Patton Günther von Kluge Walter Model Strength unknown 150,000 Casualties Canadian: 18,500 Polish: 2,300 U.S and French: unknown 10... This article is about the Second World War battle for Brest. ... The Liberation of Paris in World War II took place in late August 1944 after the battle of Normandy. ... The original Pegasus Bridge Normandy (by DJ Clayworth) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The original Pegasus Bridge Normandy (by DJ Clayworth) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x940, 131 KB) Description PEGASUS BRIDGE, JUNE 1944 Transport moving across the Caen Canal Bridge at Benouville. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x940, 131 KB) Description PEGASUS BRIDGE, JUNE 1944 Transport moving across the Caen Canal Bridge at Benouville. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 219 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 219 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2288x1712, 613 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2288x1712, 613 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Salmon Bay Bridge, Seattle, USA; a single leaf through truss with an above-deck counterweight A bascule bridge is a drawbridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or leaf, throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic. ... Canal de Caen à la Mer (Canal from Caen to the sea; also called the Caen Canal) is a small canal in the department (préfecture) of Calvados (Apple-Brandy), France, that connects the Port of Caen, in the city of Caen, downstream to the town of Ouistreham and the English... Ouistreham is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne unit of the British Army during World War II. // The division was formed in the United Kingdom on 3 May 1943, during the Second World War. ... Gliders or Sailplanes are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Pegasus and Bellerophon, Attic red-figure Pegasus and Bellerophon, from Mabie, Hamilton Wright (Ed. ...

The battle for the bridge

The operation is frequently although incorrectly referred to as Operation Coup de Main. Coup-de-main is a term used to define any swift, pre-emptive strike and it is now generally accepted that the operation to capture the Caen Canal bridge had no specific codename. John Howard retained a copy of the mission order from his commanding officer, Brigadier Nigel Poett and these orders are untitled and at no point refer to any operation code-name, Coup de Main or otherwise. A Coup de main is a swift attack that relies on speed and surprise to accomplish its objectives in a single blow. ... General Sir Nigel Poett (J.H.N. Poett) was a British Army officer best known for commanding the 5th Parachute Brigade, British 6th Airborne Division during the Battle of Normandy. ...

As No.1 Platoon had begun their attack, No.2 Platoon landed directly behind the first glider but broke its tail off while trying to avoid hitting the first glider in the second glider.

On arrival of the 7th Battalion command of the bridge fell to their commander Col. Geoffrey Pine-Coffin with Major Howard’s men coming under his command. Pine-Coffin employed the glider borne troops as a reserve and to defend the River Orne bridge. During this fierce fighting the regimental first aid post was overrun by the enemy who killed all those in it including the regimental chaplain who died defending the wounded.

Location now

The soldiers killed in these actions are mostly buried in the cemetery at nearby Ranville. Lt. Brotheridge's grave, which is located in the churchyard next to the cemetery, has a commemorative plaque that was installed by the family Gondrée, whose house near Pegasus Bridge was the first to be liberated during D-Day. It still exists and nowadays contains a café and a small museum shop that sells Pegasus Bridge related material. The lady who runs this café was a small child living in the home when it was liberated. Ranville, pronunciation: rohn-VEEL or ROHN-veel is a commune of the département of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ...

In popular culture

The events around Pegasus Bridge are depicted in the movie The Longest Day. The role of Major Howard was played by Richard Todd, who actually participated in the real Allied defence of Pegasus Bridge, having been the 7th Parachute Battalion's Intelligence Officer on D-Day. The Longest Day is a 3-hour-long 1962 war film with a very large cast, based on the 1959 book The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, about D-Day, the invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, during World War II. // The movie was adapted by Romain Gary, James... Richard Todd (born June 11, 1919) is a British actor. ...

The World War II-based first-person shooter game Call of Duty also features a level about the capture and defense of the Pegasus Bridge, however it is not historically accurate. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The board wargame Advanced Squad Leader has a historical module dedicated to the events of 6 June starting with the initial glider landings and ending with the arrival of The Royal Warwickshires. A board game is a game played with counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a board (a premarked surface, usually specific to that game). ... Wargaming is the play of simulated military operations in the form of games known as wargames. ... Advanced Squad Leader 2nd Edition Rulebook Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) is a tactical-level board wargame that simulates actions of approximately company or battalion size in World War II. It is a detailed game system for two or more players (with solitaire play also possible). ... // HASL modules Historical Advanced Squad Leader modules (HASL modules) were addons for the tactical wargame Advanced Squad Leader intended to depict actual historical events using maps produced from actual terrain maps, and featuring linked scenarios (called Campaign Games). ...

Sources

• Ambrose, Stephen E. (1985). Pegasus Bridge. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780671523749

Stephen Ambrose, at the 2001 premiere of Band of Brothers Stephen Edward Ambrose, Ph. ...

See also

• Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)

The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (until 1921 known as The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army from 1881 to 1970. ...

External links

• Musée de Pegasus Bridge (French)
• Pegasus Bridge in the Structurae database
• Royal Engineers Museum 6th Airborne Divisional Engineers - D Day 1944
• The 6th Airborne Division in Normandy
• BBC 'The People's War'
• The bridge in 1944
• A detailed description of the area and operation
• D-Day : Etat des Lieux : 6th Airborne Division in Normandy
• True Loyals: A History of 7th Battalion, the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) / 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery 1940-1946

Structurae is an on-line database containing works of structural and civil engineering of all kinds such as Bridges, High-rise buildings, towers, dams, etc. ...

Coordinates: 49°14′32″N, 0°16′28″W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...