The Bénouville bridge was the first to be liberated in 1944.
It was on the night of 5 to 6 June 1944 that the military operation Pegasus Bridge, better known as Operation "Coup de main", was launched. The mission was to land in gliders near the bridges in order to recover them, as the Germans had seized them. Operation Pegasus Bridge, carried out by British paratroopers, more commonly known as "Paras", led to the liberation of Caen.
The Ranville and Bénouville bridges were taken in the early hours of the night. The soldiers had a strategy in mind: to be as quick as possible while taking the Germans by surprise. This strategy paid off, as the Germans, caught in their sleep, had no time to react.
The British, determined and highly organised, succeeded in their mission.
This bridge, made famous by the film "The Longest Day" by D. ZANUCK in 1962, has now been reproduced exactly as it was. You can find the original bridge in the Pegasus Memorial Park.
