| Preceding the seaborne landings three
| |
| | dried out mouth he finally let out a yell
|
| Allied Airborne Divisions were dropped to
| |
| | of "Come out and fight you square-headed
|
| secure the flanks of the five-invasion
| |
| | bastards" in his broad Cockney accent. Lt
|
| beaches where the Allied 21st Army Group
| |
| | David Wood's men were now starting to get
|
| was to come ashore. In the west two US
| |
| | to grips with the Germans on the home
|
| Airborne Divisions dropped onto the
| |
| | bank.
|
| Cotentin peninsula behind UTAH beach and
| |
| | Running straight past Maj Howard, 14
|
| in the east the British 6th Airborne
| |
| | Platoon raced on to the bridge; Lt Sandy
|
| Division (Br 6 AB Div) dropped into the
| |
| | Smith had wrenched his knee and more
|
| area between the River Orne and River
| |
| | hobbled than ran. As he crossed the
|
| Dives to the east of SWORD beach.
| |
| | bridge he saw Lt Brotheridge's Platoon
|
| One of the primary tasks of the Br 6 AB
| |
| | firing their weapons and throwing
|
| Div was to seize intact the two bridges
| |
| | grenades at the German defenders. As he
|
| over the Caen Canal and River Orne near
| |
| | reached the far end he saw a German
|
| Benouville and hold them until relieved
| |
| | soldier near the low wall in front of the
|
| against any German counterattacks. This
| |
| | Café Gondree about to throw a stick
|
| mission was considered to be vital to the
| |
| | grenade; with a burst from his sten he
|
| success of the invasion, as it would
| |
| | sent the German sprawling across the wall
|
| allow the seaborne forces to reinforce
| |
| | dead, but the grenade landed close to Lt
|
| the Br 6 AB Div's area and subsequently
| |
| | Smith and went off. He did not feel a
|
| break out to the east. D Company the 2nd
| |
| | thing and it was only when one of his
|
| Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light
| |
| | corporals who was nearby asked if he was
|
| Infantry (D Coy 2 OBLI) commanded by
| |
| | all right that Lt Sandy Smith noticed the
|
| Major John Howard was selected to
| |
| | holes in his Denison smock and trousers;
|
| carryout this mission and this is their
| |
| | he had been hit by the grenade's
|
| story.
| |
| | fragments and the wrist of his trigger
|
| On the morning of 5 June 1944 the men of
| |
| | hand had lost all of its flesh, but he
|
| D Coy 2 OBLI started their final
| |
| | could still use his trigger finger.
|
| preparations and at noon Maj Howard
| |
| | Inside the Café Gondree the owner,
|
| learned that the invasion was on. He
| |
| | Georges Gondree had been awakened by all
|
| ordered the men to rest and when the
| |
| | the noise. Crawling to one of the upper
|
| evening meal was over they boarded the
| |
| | floor windows he peeped over the sill to
|
| trucks to go to their gliders. As they
| |
| | see what was going on; as he did so Lt
|
| climbed into their gliders he shook hands
| |
| | Smith saw the movement and thinking that
|
| with the officers and called out words of
| |
| | it was a German soldier let off a burst
|
| encouragement to the men. Finally he
| |
| | from his sten in the direction of the
|
| moved to his own glider, upon the nose of
| |
| | Café. Fortunately for Georges Gondree
|
| which Pte Wally Parr had chalked 'Lady
| |
| | the burst went high shattering the window
|
| Irene' to name it after his wife. When
| |
| | and hitting the wooden beams. He beat a
|
| Maj Howard got in the glider, the door
| |
| | hasty retreat, gathered his family
|
| was closed and on schedule they started
| |
| | together, and then took them downstairs
|
| to move down the runway. At 22.56 hrs
| |
| | to the comparative safety of the cellar.
|
| 'Lady Irene' was airborne and D Coy 2
| |
| | Lt Smith continued with the task in hand
|
| OBLI was on their way into history.
| |
| | and led his platoon in the clearing of
|
| The six Halifax bombers from 298 Squadron
| |
| | the remaining trenches on the western
|
| RAF took-off with the accompanying Horsa
| |
| | bank of the Canal.
|
| gliders in tow and crossed the English
| |
| | At 00.21 hrs, the fighting at the Caen
|
| Channel flying at an altitude of 7,000
| |
| | Canal Bridge started to die down and Pte
|
| ft. All around them were Heavy Bombers
| |
| | Parr made his way to the Café that was
|
| going to drop bombs on German positions
| |
| | the rallying point for 25 Platoon. As he
|
| in the invasion area, Caen or other
| |
| | ran past the end of the bridge he saw one
|
| selected targets. With all of this air
| |
| | of his comrades lying on the ground in
|
| activity the German anti-aircraft and
| |
| | the middle of the road. Knowing that he
|
| searchlight crews failed to notice the
| |
| | had to report to Lt Brotheridge he
|
| gliders.
| |
| | continued on for a few more paces before
|
| At the appointed time the Halifax bomber
| |
| | he pulled up short. Turning around he
|
| released the first glider to begin its
| |
| | realised that the soldier on the ground
|
| run into the target. In the glider S/Sgt
| |
| | was Lt Brotheridge. He went back and
|
| Wallwork checked their altitude and the
| |
| | knelt down beside his Platoon Commander;
|
| compass, whilst S/Sgt John Ainsworth
| |
| | Lt Brotheridge had been shot in the neck,
|
| checked his stopwatch. At the appointed
| |
| | his eyes were open and his lips were
|
| mark they turned to starboard and halfway
| |
| | moving, but not a sound came out; as
|
| down the crosswind leg of their approach
| |
| | Wally Parr put his hand under Lt
|
| S/Sgt Wallwork saw it, he could make out
| |
| | Brotheridge's head to lift it up his eyes
|
| the river, the canal and both bridges.
| |
| | just rolled back.
|
| With visibility good and the target in
| |
| | 24 Platoon had finished clearing the
|
| sight he dropped the glider's nose and
| |
| | trenches on the home bank of the canal
|
| made for the LZ. With the ground rushing
| |
| | and Lt Wood decided to report to Maj
|
| up at around 95mph he held the glider on
| |
| | Howard that his task was complete. With
|
| course; they hit the ground and caught
| |
| | Sgt Leather and a runner he was moving
|
| the first of the wire defences. Jim
| |
| | back towards Maj Howard's position when a
|
| Wallwork shouted, "Stream" and John
| |
| | burst from a German schmeisser rang out.
|
| Ainsworth released the arrester
| |
| | Three bullets caught Lt David Wood in the
|
| parachute; it lifted the tail, forced the
| |
| | leg and he fell to the ground. Bleeding
|
| nose into the ground, tore off the wheels
| |
| | profusely, frightened and shaken up he
|
| and bounced the glider back into the air.
| |
| | tried to stand but found he was unable to
|
| The arrester parachute did its job and
| |
| | so. Both Sgt Leather and the runner had
|
| they hit the ground again; this time on
| |
| | also been hit and lay on the ground
|
| the skids. Jim Wallwork shouted,
| |
| | nearby. Cpl Godbold one of his section
|
| "Jettison" and John Ainsworth pressed the
| |
| | commanders took over command of the
|
| button to release the parachute; now
| |
| | platoon.
|
| travelling at about 60mph the glider
| |
| | It was about this time that a shaken, but
|
| threw up hundreds of friction sparks from
| |
| | none too seriously injured S/Sgt Jim
|
| the skids as they passed over rocks.
| |
| | Wallwork started to regain consciousness;
|
| Seeing these sparks through the open door
| |
| | he was lying on his stomach with his seat
|
| Maj Howard thought that they had been
| |
| | on top of him. He could hear John
|
| spotted and were being fired upon. All of
| |
| | Ainsworth calling out his name and asking
|
| a sudden there was an almighty crash and
| |
| | if he was all right. Looking around he
|
| the glider came to a jarring halt; Jim
| |
| | saw S/Sgt Ainsworth pinned under the
|
| Wallwork and John Ainsworth were hurled
| |
| | wreckage of the glider's nose and when he
|
| out through the cockpit still strapped in
| |
| | asked him if he could crawl out he
|
| their seats. It was 00.16 hrs early in
| |
| | replied, "No." He asked if he lifted the
|
| the morning of D-Day 6 June 1944 and the
| |
| | nose of the glider could he crawl out, to
|
| first Allied soldiers had arrived on
| |
| | which he received the reply, "I'll try"
|
| French soil.
| |
| | and as he lifted the wreckage John
|
| The glider's passengers were momentarily
| |
| | Ainsworth crawled out. After getting a
|
| knocked unconscious, but Maj Howard's
| |
| | medic to see to John Ainsworth's
|
| fanaticism for physical fitness paid off;
| |
| | injuries, Jim Wallwork began his
|
| they quickly recovered and in a matter of
| |
| | secondary task of unloading ammunition
|
| seconds their training kicked in.
| |
| | and carrying it forward to the men on the
|
| Automatically removing their harnesses,
| |
| | bridge.
|
| they exited the glider through any hole
| |
| | It was now 00.22 hrs, six minutes after
|
| they could make or find. On reaching the
| |
| | the first glider had landed, and reports
|
| outside Maj Howard realised that there
| |
| | of what was happening started to reach
|
| was no shooting and they had landed
| |
| | Maj Howard. The first information to come
|
| without being spotted. Looking around he
| |
| | in was about Den Brotheridge; this was
|
| thanked god for Jim Wallwork and John
| |
| | devastating news, as they were the best
|
| Ainsworth; they had put the glider right
| |
| | of friends. The next piece of news he
|
| into the corner of the field where he
| |
| | received was that Lt David Wood and his
|
| wanted it.
| |
| | Platoon Sergeant had also been hit; two
|
| Lt Herbert Denham 'Den' Brotheridge and
| |
| | of his three platoons at the bridge were
|
| the men of 25 Platoon swiftly exited the
| |
| | now without their Platoon Commander. This
|
| glider and quietly shook out into their
| |
| | was followed up with a report from 14
|
| assault formation. Lt Brotheridge
| |
| | Platoon that informed him of Lt Smith's
|
| whispered into Cpl Jack Bailey's ear and
| |
| | injuries. Whilst Sandy Smith was still on
|
| off he went with his two men to deal with
| |
| | his feet Maj Howard could not help
|
| the pillbox where the firing mechanism to
| |
| | thinking that he had effectively lost all
|
| blow the bridges was located. Gathering
| |
| | three of his Platoon Commanders at the
|
| the remainder of his platoon he gave a
| |
| | canal bridge; added to this he did not
|
| whispered, "Come on lads" and they made a
| |
| | know what was happening at the Orne River
|
| dash for the bridge.
| |
| | Bridge.
|
| One minute had passed since the first
| |
| | At the Orne River Bridge the action was
|
| glider had landed and S/Sgt Oliver
| |
| | nowhere near as dramatic, glider 94 had
|
| Bowland at the controls of glider 92 came
| |
| | missed the target area altogether landing
|
| down within 25 yards of glider 91. Lt
| |
| | some eight miles away near one of the
|
| David Wood was thrown clear still
| |
| | bridges over the River Dives by
|
| clutching on to his sten and canvas
| |
| | Varaville; the Halifax crew had released
|
| bucket of extra grenades; relieved to
| |
| | the glider in the wrong place due to a
|
| find himself in one piece he pulled
| |
| | navigational error.
|
| himself together, gathered his platoon
| |
| | Glider 96, piloted by S/Sgt Roy Howard
|
| and set off for the wire perimeter where
| |
| | and S/Sgt Fred Baacke, was the only one
|
| Maj Howard would be waiting.
| |
| | of the three gliders to come to rest on
|
| Lt Brotheridge and 25 Platoon were moving
| |
| | LZ 'Y'. At 00.20 hrs they made an easy
|
| on to the bridge at a steady trot as two
| |
| | landing coming to a halt some three
|
| German sentries passed each other in the
| |
| | hundred yards from the bridge; in this
|
| middle. The sentry walking towards the
| |
| | glider were Lt Dennis Fox and 17 Platoon.
|
| eastern end of the bridge was suddenly
| |
| | On landing Sgt Thornton reminded Lt Fox
|
| confronted by a pack of British airborne
| |
| | that he had forgotten to open the door,
|
| soldiers coming out of the night;
| |
| | but when Dennis Fox tried to open it the
|
| confronted by this hellish sight he
| |
| | door would not budge so Sgt Thornton had
|
| turned tail and ran shouting
| |
| | to show him how it was done.
|
| "paratroopers" as he went. The second
| |
| | A minute later glider 95, piloted by S
|
| sentry, a German NCO, turned to see what
| |
| | Sgt Stan Pearson and S/Sgt Len Guthrie,
|
| was happening and on seeing the British
| |
| | touched down and came to a halt short of
|
| paratroopers running towards him pulled
| |
| | LZ 'Y', some 700 yards away from the
|
| out the Verey pistol that he was
| |
| | bridge. This glider carried Lt H J 'Todd'
|
| carrying. Pte Billy Gray sent a burst
| |
| | Sweeney and 23 Platoon.
|
| from his Bren towards him and Lt Den
| |
| | Dismounting from their glider 17 Platoon
|
| Brotheridge fired off a full magazine
| |
| | shook out into their approach formation;
|
| from his sten. The German NCO was hit by
| |
| | one section to the front followed by Lt
|
| a storm of bullets, but as he fell dead
| |
| | Dennis Fox, the remaining two sections
|
| to the ground the Verey pistol went off
| |
| | and Sgt Thornton with the remainder of
|
| and a flare shot up into the night.
| |
| | platoon headquarters at the rear. When
|
| As the flare went off Cpl Bailey and his
| |
| | the lead section did not move off, Dennis
|
| two men arrived at the pillbox and tossed
| |
| | Fox went forward to find out why. The
|
| their grenades in through the weapon
| |
| | section commander pointed out a German
|
| slits; the grenades were followed up with
| |
| | manning a machine-gun at the bridge. Lt
|
| a burst of fire and they looked inside
| |
| | Fox told him to get moving, but he still
|
| when the dust settled to find no one left
| |
| | hesitated; so taking the bull by the
|
| alive.
| |
| | horns Lt Dennis Fox led 17 Platoon off to
|
| Pte Wally Parr was just running on to the
| |
| | start their approach. They had just got
|
| bridge when the flare shot skywards; he
| |
| | moving when the German at the bridge saw
|
| saw the door of a nearby dugout half open
| |
| | them and opened up with his MG 34; the
|
| and abruptly shut again. Pulling out a
| |
| | men of 17 Platoon dived for cover. Sgt
|
| grenade he ran across the road and by the
| |
| | Thornton at the back grabbed hold of the
|
| time he got to the dugout the pin was
| |
| | platoon's 2-inch mortar and immediately
|
| out. Opening the door just enough to
| |
| | returned fire, putting a mortar round
|
| throw it in, he tossed the grenade
| |
| | right on top of the machine-gunner.
|
| through the opening and quickly shut the
| |
| | Seeing this land, Lt Fox and his platoon
|
| door. As the grenade exploded Pte Charlie
| |
| | got up and charged to the bridge shouting
|
| Gardiner jumped into the dugout, Wally
| |
| | "Fox, Fox, Fox" as they went. Reaching
|
| Parr opened the door again, and Gardiner
| |
| | the bridge they were just in time to see
|
| finished off the Germans inside with a
| |
| | the last of the Germans running away. One
|
| burst from his sten.
| |
| | of the NCOs from the 17 Platoon's lead
|
| The shouts of "paratroopers" from the
| |
| | section jumped into the empty machine-gun
|
| running sentry, the sound of Lt
| |
| | pit, grabbed hold of their discarded MG
|
| Brotheridge's sten, Pte Gray's burst from
| |
| | 34 and sent a long burst of fire after
|
| his Bren, the crump of Cpl Bailey's
| |
| | them. These were the only shots fired in
|
| grenades going off and the flare from the
| |
| | the capture of the bridge over the River
|
| German NCOs Verey pistol brought the
| |
| | Orne.
|
| other German defenders to life. Many of
| |
| | Lt Todd Sweeney and 23 Platoon dismounted
|
| the private soldiers were foreign
| |
| | from glider 95 to hear the machine-gun
|
| conscripts and these quickly faded into
| |
| | open up at the bridge. They quickly shook
|
| the night, but the NCOs all of whom were
| |
| | out and headed off for the bridge at the
|
| German sprang to their positions.
| |
| | double with Lt Sweeney leading the way.
|
| Back on LZ 'X' glider 93 came to a halt
| |
| | The only casualties they suffered were
|
| with a shuddering crash on the edge of
| |
| | those that failed to see the drainage
|
| the pond between the two gliders already
| |
| | ditches that crossed their approach.
|
| on the ground, as it did so it swung
| |
| | Soaked to the skin and covered in mud, Lt
|
| ninety degrees breaking in half. Capt
| |
| | Sweeney led his men up to the bridge.
|
| John Vaughan RAMC was thrown clear and
| |
| | Unnerved by the seemingly calm situation
|
| knocked completely unconscious. Lt
| |
| | and the lack of any opposition on the
|
| Richard 'Sandy' Smith was also thrown
| |
| | bridge, he made the final approach with
|
| clear to land face down in the mud; he
| |
| | caution. Leaving one section to secure
|
| had lost his sten and momentarily did not
| |
| | the home bank, Lt Sweeney led the
|
| know where he was or what he was doing.
| |
| | remainder across at the run. As they
|
| Picking up the nearest sten Lt Smith
| |
| | reached the far end Lt Todd Sweeney saw
|
| gathered his platoon together and made
| |
| | Lt Dennis Fox. Lt Sweeney raced up to
|
| for Maj Howard's position. One of the
| |
| | him, "Dennis, how are you, is everything
|
| other members of 14 Platoon however, was
| |
| | all right?" to which he received the
|
| not so lucky; L/Cpl Fred Greenhalgh was
| |
| | reply, "Yes I think so, but I can't find
|
| knocked unconscious on impact and thrown
| |
| | the bloody umpires!"
|
| clear to land face down in the pond where
| |
| | Leaving Lt Fox to organise the immediate
|
| he drowned.
| |
| | defence of the River Bridge Lt Sweeney
|
| By now the sappers from glider 91 were
| |
| | made his way to the Canal Bridge to
|
| under the bridge cutting wires and
| |
| | report to Maj Howard. At 00.26 hrs, ten
|
| looking for explosives as they went. Lt
| |
| | minutes after glider 91 had landed, John
|
| David Wood's 24 Platoon were just
| |
| | Howard had the news he had been waiting
|
| arriving at Maj Howard's position and
| |
| | for; D Coy 2 OBLI had seized both bridges
|
| barely two minutes had passed since the
| |
| | intact. Exuberant Maj Howard turned to
|
| first glider had touched down.
| |
| | his radio operator Cpl Tappenden and told
|
| The German sentry reached the far end of
| |
| | him to send the message that the bridges
|
| the bridge without being hit and threw
| |
| | had been captured. "HAM and JAM, HAM and
|
| himself into a trench. The Germans in
| |
| | JAM, HAM and JAM" out over the radio the
|
| their trenches turned their weapons to
| |
| | codewords went; "HAM and JAM, HAM and
|
| point at the running airborne soldiers.
| |
| | JAM, HAM and JAM" Cpl Tappenden continued
|
| Lt Brotheridge was almost across the
| |
| | to send. What Maj Howard and Cpl
|
| bridge when he saw the first of the enemy
| |
| | Tappenden did not know was that Brig
|
| beginning to react and pulled a grenade
| |
| | Poett was unable to receive the message.
|
| from his pouch as he ran. Pte Billy Gray
| |
| | The Caen Canal Bridge was named "Pegasus
|
| fired his Bren from the hip towards the
| |
| | Bridge" after the Pegasus emblem worn by
|
| enemy, as did many of the other charging
| |
| | the British 6th Airborne Division in
|
| men of 25 Platoon. Getting the pin out of
| |
| | memory of this action. The River Orne
|
| his grenade Lt Brotheridge threw it at
| |
| | Bridge was renamed "Horsa Bridge" after
|
| one of the enemy occupied trenches. As he
| |
| | the gliders that carried the men who
|
| did so a machine-gunner in another enemy
| |
| | landed here.
|
| trench off to his right sent a burst in
| |
| | You can read more about D-Day on our free
|
| his direction. As his grenade exploded in
| |
| | D-Day website at which is brought to you
|
| the enemy trench wiping out its occupants
| |
| | by In the footsteps BATTLEFIELD TOURS and
|
| Lt Den Brotheridge was thrown back by the
| |
| | Battlefield Tours 4u
|
| force of the machine-gun's bullets to
| |
| | In the footsteps BATTLEFIELD TOURS (
|
| land on his back in the middle of the
| |
| | offer a bespoke battlefield tour service
|
| road. Other members of 25 Platoon began
| |
| | for those wishing to follow in the
|
| firing at the Germans in their trenches;
| |
| | footsteps of an ancestor, relative or
|
| the combination of this fire and a burst
| |
| | particular unit. Battlefield Tours 4u (
|
| from Pte Gray's Bren knocked out the
| |
| | offer a range of set itinerary
|
| machine-gun that had brought Lt
| |
| | battlefield tours for those wishing to
|
| Brotheridge down.
| |
| | follow a more general view of the battle.
|
| Wally Parr was trying to shout "Able,
| |
| | In the footsteps BATTLEFIELD TOURS also
|
| Able, Able" as he ran on to the bridge,
| |
| | publish related history and tour books
|
| but the words would just not come out.
| |
| | written by Major Ian R Gumm that can be
|
| Freeing his tongue from the roof of his
| |
| | purchase through their website.
|
