Douve
Encyclopedia
The Douve or Ouve is a river, 79 kilometres in length, which rises in the commune of Tollevast
, near Cherbourg in the department of Manche
. Ouve is considered its old name (Unva in ancient texts): Ouve appears to have been misspelled over the course of time as "Douve river" and then as "River of the Douve" (Douve literally means Ditch). The French name for this watercourse is la Douve.
After passing Tollevast
, the river proceeds through the hills of the Cotentin peninsula
(Cherbourg peninsula) and goes by Sottevast
, l'Étang-Bertrand
and Magneville
. It borders Néhou
and crosses Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
. Once it reaches Bauptois, it alters its direction towards the Bay of the Seine in the south-eastern English Channel
, passing through Carentan
.
The Douve is a navigable river owing to its flat bottom and adequate depth of flow. During the allied invasion of Hitler's Fortress Europa on D-Day
, the river was the boundary between the allied left flank landing forces on Utah Beach
(on its left bank and so to the west nearest Roune) and the bloody defensive battle that occurred at Omaha Beach
. The Utah beach
landings were part of contingency planning only scheduled after ample landing craft became available and designed to give the allies a leg up on taking a port city, in this case, Cherbourg for without such, any sustained offensive was foredoomed to failure from lack of logistical capacity. Had the landing craft been lacking, the river would have protected the exposed right flank of the allied invasion lodgement
. With Utah in the plan, it was used to originate an offensive aimed squarely at the early domination of the peninsula and capture of Cherbourg as the British-Canadian forces were to attempt an early capture of the port of Caen
(and eventually Rouen
) at the opposite end of the lodgement. Both cities were well protected by their German defenders.
Among those landing at the Douve was the unit known as the Filthy Thirteen
, later the basis of the novel
and film
The Dirty Dozen
, loosely inspired on the exploits of PFC
Jack Agnew
of Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania
.
Tollevast
Tollevast is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France....
, near Cherbourg in the department of Manche
Manche
Manche is a French department in Normandy named after La Manche , which is the French name for the English Channel.- History :Manche is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
. Ouve is considered its old name (Unva in ancient texts): Ouve appears to have been misspelled over the course of time as "Douve river" and then as "River of the Douve" (Douve literally means Ditch). The French name for this watercourse is la Douve.
After passing Tollevast
Tollevast
Tollevast is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France....
, the river proceeds through the hills of the Cotentin peninsula
Cotentin Peninsula
The Cotentin Peninsula, also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy, forming part of the north-western coast of France. It juts out north-westwards into the English Channel, towards Great Britain...
(Cherbourg peninsula) and goes by Sottevast
Sottevast
Sottevast is a commune in Normandy in north-western France.-Bombing of Sottevast in World War II:Sottevast was a Nazi Germany storage and servicing bunker for V-weapons. The site was captured by the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment ....
, l'Étang-Bertrand
L'Étang-Bertrand
L'Étang-Bertrand is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-See also:*Communes of the Manche department...
and Magneville
Magneville
Magneville is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France....
. It borders Néhou
Néhou
Néhou is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France....
and crosses Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.It is situated in the Cotentin Peninsula near Valognes in the Manche département.Population : 2,242 .-History:...
. Once it reaches Bauptois, it alters its direction towards the Bay of the Seine in the south-eastern English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, passing through Carentan
Carentan
Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France near the port city of Cherbourg-Octeville. Carentan has a population somewhat over 6,000 and is now administratively organized as a commune in the Manche department...
.
The Douve is a navigable river owing to its flat bottom and adequate depth of flow. During the allied invasion of Hitler's Fortress Europa on D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, the river was the boundary between the allied left flank landing forces on Utah Beach
Utah Beach
Utah Beach was the code name for the right flank, or westernmost, of the Allied landing beaches during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as part of Operation Overlord on 6 June 1944...
(on its left bank and so to the west nearest Roune) and the bloody defensive battle that occurred at Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
. The Utah beach
Utah Beach
Utah Beach was the code name for the right flank, or westernmost, of the Allied landing beaches during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as part of Operation Overlord on 6 June 1944...
landings were part of contingency planning only scheduled after ample landing craft became available and designed to give the allies a leg up on taking a port city, in this case, Cherbourg for without such, any sustained offensive was foredoomed to failure from lack of logistical capacity. Had the landing craft been lacking, the river would have protected the exposed right flank of the allied invasion lodgement
Lodgement
A lodgement is an enclave taken by and defended by force of arms against determined opposition made by increasing the size of a bridgehead, beachhead or airheadOxford English Dictionary lodgement, lodgment "3. The action of establishing oneself or making good a position on an enemy's ground, or...
. With Utah in the plan, it was used to originate an offensive aimed squarely at the early domination of the peninsula and capture of Cherbourg as the British-Canadian forces were to attempt an early capture of the port of Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
(and eventually Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
) at the opposite end of the lodgement. Both cities were well protected by their German defenders.
Among those landing at the Douve was the unit known as the Filthy Thirteen
Filthy Thirteen
The Filthy Thirteen was the name given to a sub-unit of the regimental headquarters of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, of the United States Army, which fought in the European campaign in World War II. This unit was selected and trained to demolish enemy targets...
, later the basis of the novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
The Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen is a 1967 film directed by Robert Aldrich and released by MGM. It was filmed in England and features an ensemble cast, including Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Telly Savalas, and Robert Webber. The film is based on E. M...
, loosely inspired on the exploits of PFC
Private First Class
Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...
Jack Agnew
Jack Agnew
Private First Class John J. "Jack" Agnew, USA was a United States Army private first class in World War II, a member of the Filthy Thirteen, whose exploits inspired the novel and movie The Dirty Dozen.-Biography:...
of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.