St
Samson 
Robehomme Bridge
Merville Battery & Lieut. Col. Otway
Amfreville Drop Zone “N”
Ranville Cemetery
Pegasus Bridge   
Ranville Museum  |
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Details of your visit -
Saint Samson, Troarn
We start the Tour by the visit of
the Saint-Samson Bridge near Troarn destroyed by Lt
Roseveare on D-Day morning. Certain groups were designated
to be Engineer elements who were assigned to blow up
the main bridges.
Bures, Perier, Robehomme
We drive to the other bridges located
to Bures, Periers and Robehomme.
A small group of Canadian paratroopers under the command
of Lt Toseland moved toward the bridge of Robehomme.
The Paras reached their objective at 3 am but the Engineers
did not rally…
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(Not included)
Merville Battery
Lieutenant-Colonel Otway trained his
troops for months to take the Merville battery. The
paratroopers knew every detail of the German defences
but the operation began in a tragic way…
Drop Zone “N”
Along the Orne river, the drop Zone « N ».
Ranville, Amfreville,, Colleville
sur Mer, Houlgate, Colombelles, Villers sur Mer
This is an emotional stop giving you
the occasion to pay tribute to every British and Canadian
resting in Ranville. The village of Ranville was an
objective of 6th (Airborne) Division on 6th June 1944,
and was captured by units of this formation on the
morning of D Day. The churchyard was used for immediate
burials, and some soldiers from 6th (Airborne) were
laid to rest at this location as the fighting for the
Eastern Flank continued. After the Second World War
the site was chosen to regroup burials from this part
of the battlefield, and graves were brought in from
a number of areas, including: Amfreville, Colleville-sur-Orne,
Houlgate, Colombelles and Villers-sur-Mer. The cemetery
was finally closed in 1946. A very high proportion
of the dead here are men from 6th (Airborne) Division.
Pegasus Bridge
One of the Highlights of the day:
the famous Pegasus Bridge taken by Major John Howard
and men from the 2nd Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light
Infantry. The taking of Pegasus Bridge in the early
hours of D-Day was a major triumph for the Allies.
The control of Pegasus Bridge gave the Allies the opportunity
to disrupt the Germans ability to bring in re-enforcements
to the Normandy beaches, especially those that the
British and Canadians were landing at – Gold,
Juno and Sword.
Ranville Museum
Althought the museum is not included
in the Tour, you will have time, at your charge, to
visit the famous museum inaugurated by Prince Charles
in 2000.
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