Just before midnight the 6th Airborne Division arrived silently by 6 Horsa gliders. These were navigated expertly right up to the bridges allowing the 180 members of the Oxon and Bucks light infantry to capture their objectives. The 7th Parachute Battalion dropped in a few minutes later with a strength of 200 men. Their job was to secure the bridges against German counter attack for the next 24 hours until Lord Lovat's commandos could arrive from the beach landings to reinforce them. Below I have a contemporary photo of the bridge two days after its capture.
Until this weekend Helen has never visited the site of Pegasus bridge, so we decided to take a break from the builders and drive across to Normandy to put matters right. Leaving promptly (nearly) at 8am, we encountered roadworks at Peterborough but otherwise made good time to Dover and even got on the same ferry that we had booked. We enjoyed an alfresco and expensive drive on the peage through France and even the inevitable bouchon provided some entertainment in front. See below (circa 1958? Porsche geeks might enlighten me). Further research suggests that this might be a scruffy 356 (1948-56), is this right?
After a coffee and refuelling stop we eventually book into our accommodation at Apart'city Caen at about 7.30. Thank goodness for our EU sat navigation. What a shame that the government will be collecting them all in now that we have voted out. Finally for today, a couple of shots of the apartment which will do very nicely.
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