Operation Deadstick

[Deadstick]

This was the first D-Day assault on France the airborne operation to take the Bridge over the Caen Canal at Benouville just after midnight it has interested me for years because of the sheer audacity, i have visited the scene a few times and am in awe at the operation and the Men who carried it out. the photos i took last year when i was there for the 80th anniversary a few beers were downed at the famous Cafe Gondree

 

[The Irish Ram]

I truly don't know how they did it. Their courage was beyond comprehension...

 

[Deadstick]

I truly don't know how they did it. Their courage was beyond comprehension...

I have stood on the ground by the river where the three Gliders landed its narrower and shorter than a football pitch i believe the third Glider part of the wing or tail was hanging over the Canal, incredible.

 

[Oddball]

Lt. Den Brotheridge...Arguably the 1st KIA of D-Day.

 

[Oddball]

Three of the gliders (shown in boxes) landed farther away....

 

[Deadstick]

Three of the gliders (shown in boxes) landed farther away....

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I went to see the grave of Lt Brotheridge in Ranville cemetery but he is not in the main military one which is next door he is buried next to the Church with three other fallen soldiers and free French soldiers Ranville military cemetery and the Church in Ranville where British airborne soldiers landed, a few years ago when i was there i met a veteran who landed by the Church he told me the lad who landed next to him was shot dead by a German sniper who had taken up a position in the Church Bell tower, over the years it's been a privilege to have met some of them most no longer with us.

 

[Deadstick]

This was another brilliant operation on D-Day the assault on the Merville Battery three miles from Sword Beach which had to be neutralized the attack took place about 3am on the 6th Jun 1944 D-Day three hours after the Pegasus Bridge attack, 600 hundred paras should have landed 150 turned up the others scattered, Lt Ottoway had to make a call whether to go ahead or call it off, he attacked the Battery with 150 men half of which were casualties, unbelievable, in 2017 i met a Veteran who took part as one of the Glider troops Mr Fred Glover, the Gliders which should have landed in the Battery but never made it some overshot the target, i have visited the site twice and when you go inside the Bunkers you get a impression of how strong they were.

Fred Glover story which is quite unbelievable it all happened when he was 19.

WWII Hero Fred Glover Dies Aged 94 - Cobseo

Fred Glover was called up during WWII and after his training volunteered for the Parachute Regiment and was posted to 9 Battalion.

www.cobseo.org.uk

Here is Fred on a visit back at the Merville Battery in 2009 he had a street named after him in Merville by the French authorities.