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