Sword Beach
Encyclopedia
Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name
given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune
, of Operation Overlord
; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944. Stretching 8 km from Ouistreham
to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer
the beach was divided into several sectors and each sector divided into beaches; thus the British 3rd Infantry Division, assigned to land on Sword, assaulted a two mile (3 km) stretch of Sword codenamed Queen Sector - Queen Red, White and Green beaches.
Sword is around 15 km from Caen
, the ultimate goal of the 3rd Infantry Division. The initial landings were achieved with low casualties but the advance from the beach was met with traffic congestion, heavily defended areas behind the beachhead and was met by the only armoured counterattack of the day, mounted by the 21st Panzer Division, that halted further progress towards Caen.
vowed to return to continental Europe and liberate the Nazi German-occupied nations. The Western Allies agreed to open a Second Front in northern Europe in 1942 to aid the Soviet Union
. However with resources for an invasion lacking it was postponed but planning was undertaken that in the event of the German position in western Europe becoming critically weakened or the Soviet Union's situation becoming dire, forces could be landed in France; Operation Sledgehammer
. At the same time planning was underway for a major landing in occupied France during 1943; Operation Roundup. In August 1942 Anglo-Canadian forces attempted an abortive landing—Operation Jubilee—at the Calais port-town of Dieppe
; the landing was designed to test the feasibility of a cross-channel invasion. The attack was poorly planned and ended in disaster; 4,963 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. The decision to prosecute the Battle of the Atlantic to its closure, the lack of landing craft, invading Sicily in July 1943, and Italy in September
following the defeat of Axis forces in North Africa in May 1943 resulted in the postponement of any assault on northern Europe till 1944.
Having succeeded in opening up an offensive front in southern Europe, gaining valuable experience in amphibious assaults and inland fighting, Allied planners returned to the plans to invade Northern France. Now scheduled for 5 June 1944, the beaches of Normandy
were selected as landing sites, with a zone of operations extending from the Cotentin Peninsula
to Caen
. Operation Overlord called for British Second Army to assault between the River Orne and Port en Bessin, capture the German-occupied city of Caen and form a front line from Caumont-l'Éventé
to the south-east of Caen, in order to acquire airfields and protect the left flank of the United States First Army while it captured Cherbourg. Possession of Caen and its surroundings would give Second Army a suitable staging area for a push south to capture the city of Falaise
, which could then be used as a pivot for a left right to advance on Argentan
, the Touques River
and then towards the Seine River. Overlord would constitute the largest amphibious operation in military history. After delays due to both logistical difficulties and poor weather, the D-Day of Overlord was moved to 6 June 1944. Eisenhower and Bernard Montgomery, commander of 21st Army Group, aimed to capture Caen within the first day, and liberate Paris
within 90 days.
was assigned as the main D-Day objective of the British 3rd Infantry Division who had been tasked as the assault division to land on Sword Beach. Attached to the division for the assault was the 27th Independent Armoured Brigade, the 1st Special Service Brigade
that also contained Free French Commandos, No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando of the 4th Special Service Brigade
, Royal Marine armoured support, additional artillery and engineer, and elements of the 79th Armoured Division
The 3rd Infantry Division was ordered to advance on Caen, 7.5 miles (12.1 km) from Sword Beach, with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
advancing, on its western flank, to secure Carpiquet
airfield, 11 miles (17.7 km) from Juno Beach, on the outskirts of the city. The 3rd Infantry was also ordered to relieve the elements of the 6th Airborne Division that had secured the bridges over the Orne River and Caen Canal during Operation Tonga
, secure the high ground north of Caen, and "if possible Caen itself". A point further reinforced when I Corps commander, Lieutenant-General John Crocker
, instructed the division, prior to the invasion, that by nightfall the city must be either captured or "effectively masked" with troops based north-west of the city and Bénouville
.
Sword Beach stretched for around 5 miles (8 km) from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer
to the mouth of the Orne River and was divided into four landing sectors. From west to east these sectors were 'Oboe' from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer to Luc-sur-Mer
, 'Peter' from Luc-sur-Mer to Lion-sur-Mer
, 'Queen' from Lion-sur-Mer to La Brèche d'Hermanville, and finally 'Roger' from La Brèche d'Hermanville to Ouistreham
. Each sector was also divided into multiple areas. The sector chosen for the assault was the 1.8 miles (2.9 km) long 'White' and 'Red' areas of 'Queen' sector; as shallow reefs blocked access to the other sectors. Two infantry battalions supported by DD tank
s would lead the assault followed up by the commandos and the rest of the division; the landing was due to start at 07:25 hours; the division would be the last assault division to land.
. Fortifications were initially concentrated around ports until late in 1943 when defences were extended into other areas. While the German army had seen its strength and morale heavily depleted by campaigns in Russia, North Africa and Italy, it remained a powerful fighting force. Despite this, most of the German divisions along the French coast in late 1943 were composed of either new recruits or veteran units resting and rebuilding from the Eastern Front; altogether some 856,000 soldiers were stationed in France (predominantly on the coast). An additional 60,000 Hilfswillige, Russian and Polish conscripts to the German army, served on the French coast. Under the command of Field Marshals Erwin Rommel
and Gerd von Rundstedt
, the defences of the Atlantic Wall
—a line of coastal gun emplacements, machine-gun nests, minefields and beach obstacles along the French coast—were heavily upgraded; in the first six months of 1944 1.2 million tons of steel and 17.3 million cubic yards of concrete were laid. Rommel also surrounded the coast with four million antitank and antipersonnel mines and 500,000 beach obstacles.
On and behind Sword 20 strongpoints, which included several artillery batteries, were constructed. The coastline was littered with wooden stakes, mines, hedgehogs
, and Dragon’s teeth
while along the top of the beach, infantry had constructed trenches, gun pits, mortars, and machine gun nests; barbed wire surrounded these positions and lined the beach. To reinforce the defences six strong points, with one –codenamed by the British, Strongpoint "Cod" - located directly facing Queen sector, had been constructed on the coastline containing at least eight 50mm Anti tank guns, four 75mm guns, and one 88mm gun; while exits from the beaches had been blocked with various obstacles. Behind the beaches six artillery batteries had also been positioned, three of which were based within three strongpoints; these latter batteries totalled four 100mm guns and up to ten 155mm guns. In addition, positioned east of the Orne River was the Merville Gun Battery
that contained four Czechoslovakian 100mm howizters that were also able to direct fire onto Sword Beach and the invasion fleet. Between Cherbourg and the Seine River there was a total of 32 batteries capable of firing onto the five invasion beaches; 50 per cent of which were positioned in casements of six foot reinforced concrete.
Since the spring of 1942 Generalleutnant’s Wilhelm Richter’s 8,000 man strong 716th Infantry Division had been positioned to defend the Calvados
coast of Normandy. In March 1942 the 352nd Infantry Division assumed control of the western Calvados coastline, leaving the 716th in position north of Caen covering an 8 miles (12.9 km) stretch of coastline. The division comprised four regular infantry battalions, two Ost battalions, and artillery units. Four infantry companies were spread along Sword with two positioned facing Queen sector while a further four were positioned inland behind the beach. Further inland Generalleutnant’s Edgar Feuchtinger
’s 16,297 strong 21st Panzer Division had been positioned on both sides of the Orne River around Caen to provide an immediate counterattack force should a landing take place. In May 1944 two Panzergrenadier battalions and an antitank battalion from the 21st Panzer Division, were placed under Richter’s command; this deployment eliminated 21st Panzer as a mobile reserve. One of these battalions, along with the divisions anti tank guns, and several mobile 155mm guns were positioned on Périers Ridge; a ridgeline raising to 50 metres (164 ft) above sea level 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Sword.
Units of the British 2nd Army led by Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey were assigned the beach. Troops from the British 1st Corps led by Crocker continued the beach assault. The landing was concentrated in the Queen sector of the beach Hermanville-sur-Mer
. The key objective was to take the key town of Caen
and the nearby Carpiquet Aerodrome to the west. Landings began at 07:25 am when the 3rd Division landed in Peter and Queen. Attached commando units 1st Special Service Brigade
and part of 4th Special Service Brigade
were tasked with seizing the bridges on the River Orne and the Caen Canal
, linking up with paratroops of the 6th Airborne Division who were holding the bridges and had earlier destroyed the batteries at Merville
.
Resistance on the beach was weak. Within 45 minutes, by 08:00, the fighting had been pushed inland and on the east flank the Commando units had reached the Orne, linking up with British paratroopers who had landed by the Orne waterways inland from Ouistreham
, by 13:00. The British could not link up with the Canadian forces to the west until much later in the day. The only significant German counter-attacks on D-Day came into this area, starting around 16:00. In two attacks the 21st Panzer Division pushed all the way from near Caen to the beach between Lion-sur-Mer and Luc-sur-Mer
and were only fully neutralised by late evening. By the end of 6 June, the 716th Infantry Division had almost entirely destroyed, many having fought to the death.
Regiment reached Sword Beach by 20:00 but many vehicles were destroyed by British air attacks. The flak units attached to the 21st Panzer had been spread thin, and as a result many vehicles were destroyed. Many of the units deployed by the 21st were obsolete, such as the 80 light Czech tanks that the division was equipped with, making them inferior to most Allied units and easier to damage.
Still, the 22nd Panzergrenadier along with about 50 Panzer IV
tanks attacked the British-held position. The British had constructed effective defences and the counter-attack was defeated. Despite this, one company made it through the gaps in the defences and reached the coast at Lion-sur-Mer
. Finding the coastal defences there intact, they set about reinforcing them. By coincidence, 250 Gliders of the British 6th Airlanding Brigade
, on their way to reinforce the Orne bridgehead
, flew over their positions. Believing they would be cut off, the Germans abandoned their defence. By the end of the 6 June, the 21st Panzer Division had lost 50 tanks to British anti-tank guns.
over 156,000 men had been landed in France on the first day of the campaign." British losses, in the Sword beach area, amounted to around 683 men.
The advance on Caen resumed the following day and the British and Canadians linked up, however three days into the invasion the advance on Caen had been halted. On 7 June Operation Perch
, a pincer attack by the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division and XXX Corps was launched to encircle Caen from the east and west. However the 21st Panzer Division halted the highlanders advance while XXX Corps's attack resulted in the Battle of Villers-Bocage
and the withdrawal of XXX Corps leading elements soon after. The next offensive, codenamed Operation Epsom
, was launched by VIII Corps on 26 June to envelope Caen from the West. German forces managed to contain the offensive, but to do so were obliged to commit all their available strength.
On 27 June the 3rd Infantry Division and tanks, launched Operation Mitten. The objective was to seize two German-occupied châteaux—la Londe and le Landel. The initial evening assault was repulsed, but the following morning further attacks gained the objectives and destroyed several German tanks. Operation Mitten cost at least three British tanks and 268 men. Historian Terry Copp calls the fighting for these châteaux the "bloodiest square mile in Normandy". Divisional historian Norman Scarfe claims that had the operation gone more smoothly, further elements of the division and elements of the 3rd Canadian would have then launched Operation Aberlour, an ambitious plan to capture several villages north of Caen. However, this attack was cancelled by Lieutenant-General John Crocker. Several days later I Corps launched a new offensive, codenamed Operation Charnwood
, to gain possession of Caen. In a frontal assault the northern half of the city was finally captured. However, German forces retained possession of the city south of the Orne river and this area would only be liberated during Operation Atlantic
by Canadian infantry.
Code name
A code name or cryptonym is a word or name used clandestinely to refer to another name or word. Code names are often used for military purposes, or in espionage...
given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune
Operation Neptune
The Normandy landings, codenamed Operation Neptune, were the landing operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy, in Operation Overlord, during World War II. The landings commenced on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 , beginning at 6:30 AM British Double Summer Time...
, of Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944. Stretching 8 km from Ouistreham
Ouistreham
Ouistreham is a commune in the Calvados department' in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Ouistreham is a small port with fishing boats, leisure craft and a ferry-harbour. It serves as the port of the city of Caen. The town is about the mouth of the Canal de Caen à la...
to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer
Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Calvados
Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-History:Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer is located at the eastern end of Nan Sector of Juno Beach, one of the landing sites on D-Day, at the beginning of the Battle of Normandy, during World War II...
the beach was divided into several sectors and each sector divided into beaches; thus the British 3rd Infantry Division, assigned to land on Sword, assaulted a two mile (3 km) stretch of Sword codenamed Queen Sector - Queen Red, White and Green beaches.
Sword is around 15 km from 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....
, the ultimate goal of the 3rd Infantry Division. The initial landings were achieved with low casualties but the advance from the beach was met with traffic congestion, heavily defended areas behind the beachhead and was met by the only armoured counterattack of the day, mounted by the 21st Panzer Division, that halted further progress towards Caen.
Background
Following the Fall of France British Prime Minister Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
vowed to return to continental Europe and liberate the Nazi German-occupied nations. The Western Allies agreed to open a Second Front in northern Europe in 1942 to aid the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. However with resources for an invasion lacking it was postponed but planning was undertaken that in the event of the German position in western Europe becoming critically weakened or the Soviet Union's situation becoming dire, forces could be landed in France; Operation Sledgehammer
Operation Sledgehammer
Operation Sledgehammer was a World War II Allied plan for a cross-Channel invasion of Europe, as the first step in helping to reduce pressure on the Soviet Red Army by establishing a Second Front...
. At the same time planning was underway for a major landing in occupied France during 1943; Operation Roundup. In August 1942 Anglo-Canadian forces attempted an abortive landing—Operation Jubilee—at the Calais port-town of Dieppe
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime
Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
; the landing was designed to test the feasibility of a cross-channel invasion. The attack was poorly planned and ended in disaster; 4,963 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. The decision to prosecute the Battle of the Atlantic to its closure, the lack of landing craft, invading Sicily in July 1943, and Italy in September
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
following the defeat of Axis forces in North Africa in May 1943 resulted in the postponement of any assault on northern Europe till 1944.
Having succeeded in opening up an offensive front in southern Europe, gaining valuable experience in amphibious assaults and inland fighting, Allied planners returned to the plans to invade Northern France. Now scheduled for 5 June 1944, the beaches of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
were selected as landing sites, with a zone of operations extending from 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...
to 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....
. Operation Overlord called for British Second Army to assault between the River Orne and Port en Bessin, capture the German-occupied city of Caen and form a front line from Caumont-l'Éventé
Caumont-l'Éventé
Caumont-l'Éventé is a commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France.-Population:-Administration:Caumont-l'Éventé is the seat of the canton of Caumont-l'Éventé, which includes 14 communes with 6373 inhabitants .-References:*...
to the south-east of Caen, in order to acquire airfields and protect the left flank of the United States First Army while it captured Cherbourg. Possession of Caen and its surroundings would give Second Army a suitable staging area for a push south to capture the city of Falaise
Falaise, Calvados
Falaise is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-History:The town was the birthplace of William I the Conqueror, first of the Norman Kings of England. The Château de Falaise , which overlooks the town from a high crag, was formerly the seat of...
, which could then be used as a pivot for a left right to advance on Argentan
Argentan
Argentan is a commune, and the seat of two cantons and of an arrondissement in the Orne department in north-western France.Argentan is located NE of Rennes, ENE of the Mont Saint-Michel, SE of Cherbourg, SSE of Caen, SW of Rouen and N of Le Mans....
, the Touques River
Touques River
The Touques is a small 104 km long coastal river in Pays d'Auge in Normandy, France. The Touques is officially navigable up to the Pont des Belges, 800 m from its estuary. Its source is in the Perche hills, south of Gacé. The river runs northwards, and flows into the English Channel between the...
and then towards the Seine River. Overlord would constitute the largest amphibious operation in military history. After delays due to both logistical difficulties and poor weather, the D-Day of Overlord was moved to 6 June 1944. Eisenhower and Bernard Montgomery, commander of 21st Army Group, aimed to capture Caen within the first day, and liberate Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
within 90 days.
Allied Planning
The historic Norman city of CaenCaen
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....
was assigned as the main D-Day objective of the British 3rd Infantry Division who had been tasked as the assault division to land on Sword Beach. Attached to the division for the assault was the 27th Independent Armoured Brigade, the 1st Special Service Brigade
1st Special Service Brigade
The 1st Special Service Brigade was a brigade of the British Army. Formed during World War II, it consisted of elements of the army and the Royal Marines. The brigade's component units saw action individually in Norway and the Dieppe Raid , before being combined under one commander for service in...
that also contained Free French Commandos, No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando of the 4th Special Service Brigade
4th Special Service Brigade
The 4th Special Service Brigade was created in March 1944 from units of the Royal Marines. Due to the success of the Army Commandos’ operations in Norway, the Channel Islands, St...
, Royal Marine armoured support, additional artillery and engineer, and elements of the 79th Armoured Division
The 3rd Infantry Division was ordered to advance on Caen, 7.5 miles (12.1 km) from Sword Beach, with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army from 1940 to c.1945.- History :The formation of the division was authorized on 17 May 1940...
advancing, on its western flank, to secure Carpiquet
Carpiquet
Carpiquet is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. Caen – Carpiquet Airport is located in Carpiquet.-Geography:Carpiquet is on the western side of the Caen metropolitan area...
airfield, 11 miles (17.7 km) from Juno Beach, on the outskirts of the city. The 3rd Infantry was also ordered to relieve the elements of the 6th Airborne Division that had secured the bridges over the Orne River and Caen Canal during Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the Normandy Landings during the Second World War....
, secure the high ground north of Caen, and "if possible Caen itself". A point further reinforced when I Corps commander, Lieutenant-General John Crocker
John Crocker
General Sir John Tredinnick Crocker GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a British Army officer and corps commander during the Second World War.- First World War :...
, instructed the division, prior to the invasion, that by nightfall the city must be either captured or "effectively masked" with troops based north-west of the city and Bénouville
Bénouville, Calvados
Bénouville is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.It is located on the Canal de Caen à la Mer close to Caen and Ouistreham.-Sights:* Château de Bénouville completed in 1777 by Claude Nicolas Ledoux...
.
Sword Beach stretched for around 5 miles (8 km) from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer
Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Calvados
Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-History:Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer is located at the eastern end of Nan Sector of Juno Beach, one of the landing sites on D-Day, at the beginning of the Battle of Normandy, during World War II...
to the mouth of the Orne River and was divided into four landing sectors. From west to east these sectors were 'Oboe' from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer to Luc-sur-Mer
Luc-sur-Mer
Luc-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-Sights:* The "Maison de la Baleine". On January 15, 1885 a 40 ton and 19 meters long whale beached in Luc sur Mer...
, 'Peter' from Luc-sur-Mer to Lion-sur-Mer
Lion-sur-Mer
Lion-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Geography:Lion-sur-Mer is located on the edge of the English Channel, more precisely on the Côte de Nacre , about North of Caen.The beach is made of fine sand and is bordered, to the west,...
, 'Queen' from Lion-sur-Mer to La Brèche d'Hermanville, and finally 'Roger' from La Brèche d'Hermanville to Ouistreham
Ouistreham
Ouistreham is a commune in the Calvados department' in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Ouistreham is a small port with fishing boats, leisure craft and a ferry-harbour. It serves as the port of the city of Caen. The town is about the mouth of the Canal de Caen à la...
. Each sector was also divided into multiple areas. The sector chosen for the assault was the 1.8 miles (2.9 km) long 'White' and 'Red' areas of 'Queen' sector; as shallow reefs blocked access to the other sectors. Two infantry battalions supported by DD tank
DD tank
DD tanks , were a type of amphibious swimming tank developed by the British during the Second World War...
s would lead the assault followed up by the commandos and the rest of the division; the landing was due to start at 07:25 hours; the division would be the last assault division to land.
German Planning and preparation
On 23 March 1942 Führer Directive Number 40 called for the official creation of the Atlantic WallAtlantic Wall
The Atlantic Wall was an extensive system of coastal fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the western coast of Europe as a defense against an anticipated Allied invasion of the mainland continent from Great Britain.-History:On March 23, 1942 Führer Directive Number 40...
. Fortifications were initially concentrated around ports until late in 1943 when defences were extended into other areas. While the German army had seen its strength and morale heavily depleted by campaigns in Russia, North Africa and Italy, it remained a powerful fighting force. Despite this, most of the German divisions along the French coast in late 1943 were composed of either new recruits or veteran units resting and rebuilding from the Eastern Front; altogether some 856,000 soldiers were stationed in France (predominantly on the coast). An additional 60,000 Hilfswillige, Russian and Polish conscripts to the German army, served on the French coast. Under the command of Field Marshals Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
and Gerd von Rundstedt
Gerd von Rundstedt
Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war....
, the defences of the Atlantic Wall
Atlantic Wall
The Atlantic Wall was an extensive system of coastal fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the western coast of Europe as a defense against an anticipated Allied invasion of the mainland continent from Great Britain.-History:On March 23, 1942 Führer Directive Number 40...
—a line of coastal gun emplacements, machine-gun nests, minefields and beach obstacles along the French coast—were heavily upgraded; in the first six months of 1944 1.2 million tons of steel and 17.3 million cubic yards of concrete were laid. Rommel also surrounded the coast with four million antitank and antipersonnel mines and 500,000 beach obstacles.
On and behind Sword 20 strongpoints, which included several artillery batteries, were constructed. The coastline was littered with wooden stakes, mines, hedgehogs
Czech hedgehog
The Czech hedgehog or ježek, was a static anti-tank obstacle defence made of angled iron deployed during World War II by various combatants....
, and Dragon’s teeth
Dragon's teeth (fortification)
Dragon's teeth are square-pyramidal fortifications of reinforced concrete first used during the Second World War to impede the movement of tanks and mechanised infantry...
while along the top of the beach, infantry had constructed trenches, gun pits, mortars, and machine gun nests; barbed wire surrounded these positions and lined the beach. To reinforce the defences six strong points, with one –codenamed by the British, Strongpoint "Cod" - located directly facing Queen sector, had been constructed on the coastline containing at least eight 50mm Anti tank guns, four 75mm guns, and one 88mm gun; while exits from the beaches had been blocked with various obstacles. Behind the beaches six artillery batteries had also been positioned, three of which were based within three strongpoints; these latter batteries totalled four 100mm guns and up to ten 155mm guns. In addition, positioned east of the Orne River was the Merville Gun Battery
Merville Gun Battery
The Merville Gun Battery was a coastal fortification in Normandy, France, in use as part of the Nazis' Atlantic Wall built to defend continental Europe from Allied invasion...
that contained four Czechoslovakian 100mm howizters that were also able to direct fire onto Sword Beach and the invasion fleet. Between Cherbourg and the Seine River there was a total of 32 batteries capable of firing onto the five invasion beaches; 50 per cent of which were positioned in casements of six foot reinforced concrete.
Calvados
The French department of Calvados is part of the region of Basse-Normandie in Normandy. It takes its name from a cluster of rocks off the English Channel coast...
coast of Normandy. In March 1942 the 352nd Infantry Division assumed control of the western Calvados coastline, leaving the 716th in position north of Caen covering an 8 miles (12.9 km) stretch of coastline. The division comprised four regular infantry battalions, two Ost battalions, and artillery units. Four infantry companies were spread along Sword with two positioned facing Queen sector while a further four were positioned inland behind the beach. Further inland Generalleutnant’s Edgar Feuchtinger
Edgar Feuchtinger
Edgar Feuchtinger was a German General during the Second World War.-Biography:Born in Metz , Feuchtinger joined a cadet school in Karlsruhe in 1907. During the First World War, he fought as lieutenant in Russia and France...
’s 16,297 strong 21st Panzer Division had been positioned on both sides of the Orne River around Caen to provide an immediate counterattack force should a landing take place. In May 1944 two Panzergrenadier battalions and an antitank battalion from the 21st Panzer Division, were placed under Richter’s command; this deployment eliminated 21st Panzer as a mobile reserve. One of these battalions, along with the divisions anti tank guns, and several mobile 155mm guns were positioned on Périers Ridge; a ridgeline raising to 50 metres (164 ft) above sea level 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Sword.
British forces - 3 Division Group
- 3rd Division — Major-General TG Rennie
- 8th Brigade (Assault Brigade)
- 1st Battalion Suffolk RegimentSuffolk RegimentThe Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment as the 1st East Anglian Regiment in 1959...
- 2nd Battalion East Yorkshire RegimentEast Yorkshire RegimentThe East Yorkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, first raised in 1685 as Sir William Clifton's Regiment of Foot. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the West Yorkshire Regiment , becoming The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of...
- 1st Battalion South Lancashire Regiment
- 1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment
- 9th Brigade
- 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
- 1st Battalion King's Own Scottish BorderersKing's Own Scottish BorderersThe King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
- 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster RiflesRoyal Ulster RiflesThe Royal Ulster Rifles was a British Army infantry regiment. It saw service in the Second Boer War, Great War, the Second World War and the Korean War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1968.-History:...
- 185th Brigade
- 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 1st Battalion Royal Norfolk RegimentRoyal Norfolk RegimentThe Royal Norfolk Regiment, originally formed as the Norfolk Regiment, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The Norfolk Regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as the county regiment of Norfolk...
- 2nd Battalion King's Own Shropshire Light Infantry
- Divisional Troops
- 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment RAC
- 33rd and 76th Field Regiments RA (self-propelled guns)
- 7th Field Regiment RA
- 20th Anti-Tank Regiment RA
- 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal ArtilleryThe 92nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was a British Army mobile light anti-aircraft regiment active during the Second World War....
- 3rd Divisional Engineers
- 3rd Divisional Signals
- 2nd Battalion Middlesex RegimentMiddlesex RegimentThe Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
(machine guns)
- 5th Royal Marine Armoured Support Regiment
- 27th Armoured Brigade(DD Tanks)
- 13th/18th Royal Hussars
- 1st East Riding YeomanryEast Riding of Yorkshire YeomanryThe East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army from 1794–1956.The regiment was formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was converted to an armoured role in 1920. In 1956 it merged with two other Yorkshire yeomanry regiments to form...
- Staffordshire YeomanryStaffordshire YeomanryThe Staffordshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army.Raised in 1794 following Prime Minister William Pitt's order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain from foreign invasion, the Staffordshire Yeomanry began as volunteer cavalry regiment. It first served overseas at the...
- 1st Special Service Brigade1st Special Service BrigadeThe 1st Special Service Brigade was a brigade of the British Army. Formed during World War II, it consisted of elements of the army and the Royal Marines. The brigade's component units saw action individually in Norway and the Dieppe Raid , before being combined under one commander for service in...
- landed on eastern extremity of Sword — Brigadier Lord Lovat- No. 3 CommandoNo. 3 CommandoNo. 3 Commando was a battalion-sized commando unit raised by the British Army for service during the Second World War. Formed in July 1940 from volunteers for special service, it was the first such unit to carry the title of "Commando"...
- Lieutenant Colonel Peter Young - No. 4 CommandoNo. 4 CommandoNo. 4 Commando was a battalion-sized British Army commando unit, formed in 1940 early in the Second World War. Although it was raised to conduct small-scale raids and harass garrisons along the coast of German-occupied France, it was mainly employed as a highly-trained infantry assault unit.The...
- Lieutenant Colonel Robert Dawson- A force of 176 French Marine Commandos from No. 10 (Inter-Allied) CommandoNo. 10 (Inter-Allied) CommandoNo. 10 Commando was a commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The first No. 10 Commando was proposed in August 1940, using volunteers from Northern Command, however there was such a poor response that No...
, commanded by Commandant Philippe KiefferPhilippe KiefferPhilippe Kieffer , capitaine de frégate in the French Navy, was a French officer and political personality, and a hero of the Free French Forces.- Life and career :...
landed with No. 4 Commando
- A force of 176 French Marine Commandos from No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando
- No. 6 CommandoNo. 6 CommandoNo. 6 Commando was a battalion-sized British Army commando unit of the Second World War. Although it was raised to conduct small-scale raids and harass garrisons along the coast of German-occupied France, it was mainly employed as a highly-trained infantry assault unit.Formed in July 1940, No...
- Lieutenant Colonel Derek Mills-Roberts - No. 45 (Royal Marine) Commando - Lieutenant Colonel Charles Ries
- No. 3 Commando
- 4th Special Service Brigade4th Special Service BrigadeThe 4th Special Service Brigade was created in March 1944 from units of the Royal Marines. Due to the success of the Army Commandos’ operations in Norway, the Channel Islands, St...
- landed between Juno and Sword
Breaking the beach defences
Hermanville-sur-Mer
Hermanville-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-Sights:* 13th century church* Commonwealth war cemetery* Old village center...
. The key objective was to take the key town 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 the nearby Carpiquet Aerodrome to the west. Landings began at 07:25 am when the 3rd Division landed in Peter and Queen. Attached commando units 1st Special Service Brigade
1st Special Service Brigade
The 1st Special Service Brigade was a brigade of the British Army. Formed during World War II, it consisted of elements of the army and the Royal Marines. The brigade's component units saw action individually in Norway and the Dieppe Raid , before being combined under one commander for service in...
and part of 4th Special Service Brigade
4th Special Service Brigade
The 4th Special Service Brigade was created in March 1944 from units of the Royal Marines. Due to the success of the Army Commandos’ operations in Norway, the Channel Islands, St...
were tasked with seizing the bridges on the River Orne and the Caen Canal
Canal de Caen à la Mer
Canal de Caen à la Mer also called the "Caen Canal") is a short canal in the department of Calvados, France, connecting the Port of Caen, in the city of Caen, downstream to the town of Ouistreham and the English Channel....
, linking up with paratroops of the 6th Airborne Division who were holding the bridges and had earlier destroyed the batteries at Merville
Merville Gun Battery
The Merville Gun Battery was a coastal fortification in Normandy, France, in use as part of the Nazis' Atlantic Wall built to defend continental Europe from Allied invasion...
.
Resistance on the beach was weak. Within 45 minutes, by 08:00, the fighting had been pushed inland and on the east flank the Commando units had reached the Orne, linking up with British paratroopers who had landed by the Orne waterways inland from Ouistreham
Ouistreham
Ouistreham is a commune in the Calvados department' in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Ouistreham is a small port with fishing boats, leisure craft and a ferry-harbour. It serves as the port of the city of Caen. The town is about the mouth of the Canal de Caen à la...
, by 13:00. The British could not link up with the Canadian forces to the west until much later in the day. The only significant German counter-attacks on D-Day came into this area, starting around 16:00. In two attacks the 21st Panzer Division pushed all the way from near Caen to the beach between Lion-sur-Mer and Luc-sur-Mer
Luc-sur-Mer
Luc-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-Sights:* The "Maison de la Baleine". On January 15, 1885 a 40 ton and 19 meters long whale beached in Luc sur Mer...
and were only fully neutralised by late evening. By the end of 6 June, the 716th Infantry Division had almost entirely destroyed, many having fought to the death.
The 21st Panzer Division counterattacks
The only real German counter-attack on 6 June took place at Sword Beach. British troops had not been able to link up with Canadian troops from Juno according to the plan, and they were attacked by men of the German 21st Panzer Division. The 192nd PanzergrenadierPanzergrenadier
is a German term for motorised or mechanized infantry, as introduced during World War II. It is used in the armies of Austria, Chile, Germany and Switzerland.-Forerunners:...
Regiment reached Sword Beach by 20:00 but many vehicles were destroyed by British air attacks. The flak units attached to the 21st Panzer had been spread thin, and as a result many vehicles were destroyed. Many of the units deployed by the 21st were obsolete, such as the 80 light Czech tanks that the division was equipped with, making them inferior to most Allied units and easier to damage.
Still, the 22nd Panzergrenadier along with about 50 Panzer IV
Panzer IV
The Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
tanks attacked the British-held position. The British had constructed effective defences and the counter-attack was defeated. Despite this, one company made it through the gaps in the defences and reached the coast at Lion-sur-Mer
Lion-sur-Mer
Lion-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Geography:Lion-sur-Mer is located on the edge of the English Channel, more precisely on the Côte de Nacre , about North of Caen.The beach is made of fine sand and is bordered, to the west,...
. Finding the coastal defences there intact, they set about reinforcing them. By coincidence, 250 Gliders of the British 6th Airlanding Brigade
6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was a glider infantry brigade forming part of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. Composed of three infantry battalions and supporting units, it was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division....
, on their way to reinforce the Orne bridgehead
Operation Mallard
Operation Mallard was the codename for an airborne forces operation which was conducted by the British Army on 6 June 1944, as part of the Normandy landings....
, flew over their positions. Believing they would be cut off, the Germans abandoned their defence. By the end of the 6 June, the 21st Panzer Division had lost 50 tanks to British anti-tank guns.
Aftermath
The day ended after 28,845 men, of I Corps, having come ashore across Sword Beach. The British campaign historian, L.F. Ellis notes that "in spite of the Atlantic WallAtlantic Wall
The Atlantic Wall was an extensive system of coastal fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the western coast of Europe as a defense against an anticipated Allied invasion of the mainland continent from Great Britain.-History:On March 23, 1942 Führer Directive Number 40...
over 156,000 men had been landed in France on the first day of the campaign." British losses, in the Sword beach area, amounted to around 683 men.
The advance on Caen resumed the following day and the British and Canadians linked up, however three days into the invasion the advance on Caen had been halted. On 7 June Operation Perch
Operation Perch
Operation Perch was a British offensive of the Second World War which took place between 7 and 14 June 1944, during the Battle of Normandy. The operation was intended to encircle and seize the German occupied city of Caen, which was a major Allied objective in the early stages of the invasion of...
, a pincer attack by the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division and XXX Corps was launched to encircle Caen from the east and west. However the 21st Panzer Division halted the highlanders advance while XXX Corps's attack resulted in the Battle of Villers-Bocage
Battle of Villers-Bocage
The Battle of Villers-Bocage took place during the Second World War on 13 June 1944, one week after the Allies landed in Normandy to begin the liberation of German-occupied France. The battle was the result of a British attempt to improve their position by exploiting a temporary vulnerability in...
and the withdrawal of XXX Corps leading elements soon after. The next offensive, codenamed Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom, also known as the First Battle of the Odon, was a Second World War British offensive that took place between 26 and 30 June 1944, during the Battle of Normandy...
, was launched by VIII Corps on 26 June to envelope Caen from the West. German forces managed to contain the offensive, but to do so were obliged to commit all their available strength.
On 27 June the 3rd Infantry Division and tanks, launched Operation Mitten. The objective was to seize two German-occupied châteaux—la Londe and le Landel. The initial evening assault was repulsed, but the following morning further attacks gained the objectives and destroyed several German tanks. Operation Mitten cost at least three British tanks and 268 men. Historian Terry Copp calls the fighting for these châteaux the "bloodiest square mile in Normandy". Divisional historian Norman Scarfe claims that had the operation gone more smoothly, further elements of the division and elements of the 3rd Canadian would have then launched Operation Aberlour, an ambitious plan to capture several villages north of Caen. However, this attack was cancelled by Lieutenant-General John Crocker. Several days later I Corps launched a new offensive, codenamed Operation Charnwood
Operation Charnwood
Operation Charnwood was a Second World War Anglo-Canadian offensive that took place from 8–9 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy. The operation was intended to at least partially capture the German-occupied French city of Caen , which was an important Allied objective during the opening stages...
, to gain possession of Caen. In a frontal assault the northern half of the city was finally captured. However, German forces retained possession of the city south of the Orne river and this area would only be liberated during Operation Atlantic
Operation Atlantic
Operation Atlantic was a Canadian offensive during the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War, from July 18–21, 1944. This Canadian offensive was launched in conjunction with a British-led offensive, Operation Goodwood...
by Canadian infantry.
External links
- http://www.dday.co.uk/page30.html
- Sword Beach United Kingdom Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
website. - D-Day : Etat des Lieux : Sword Beach