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