The concept of the airborne operations plan was to protect the eastern flank of the Allied seaborne landings and take control of ground of strategic importance to the east of Caen.
The specific objectives were:
- Capture intact the two bridges over the CAEN CANAL and the R.ORNE at BENOUVILLE and RANVILLE. The bridges then would be defended against counterattacks.
- Destroy the heavily fortified MERVILLE coastal artillery battery located at FRANCEVILLE PLAGE, to ensure that it could not shell the British forces landing on Sword Beach.
- Destroy several bridges which spanned the R.DIVES, located near the towns of VARAVILLE , ROBEHOMME,BURRES, and TROARN. The division would then hold the territory that it had seized until it could be relieved by advancing Allied ground forces
The airborne operation commenced 22:26 when the gliders of the Ox and Bucks LI took off,under the command of Major John Howard, one force destined to capture the bridge on the CAEN CANAL, a second force tasked with a bridge on the R.ORNE.
In the operation on the CAEN CANAL, the first glider landed at 00:15, on LZ X, impacting an earth bank and stunning the crew and passengers. One minute later the second glider landed breaking in two, the third glider landing at 00:18 skidded into a pond causing several injuries and a fatality.
The troops emerged from the gliders, engaged trenches, gun pits and a concrete bunker which it was believed held the demolition trigger. After a brief fire fight, the bridge was secured at 00:24.
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| Bridge over the Orne Canal |
At the R.ORNE Bridge, two gliders landed intact at 00:20 at LZ Y. A machine gun nest was suppressed by machine gun fire, however no other defenders were found and the two platoons quickly secured the bridge.
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| Bridge over River Orne |
Both bridges were secured intact with minimal casualties by 00:20 6th June 1944.
