Op Ducy - Port En Besin

On the 6th June 1944 the 47th Royal Marine Commando was tasked with the capture of the small harbour of PORT EN BESSIN. The harbour was located 9 miles (12 km) to the west of GOLD BEACH. The fishing port was an important objective as it was to be the Normandy terminus for PLUTO (Pipe Line Under The Ocean), the mechanism by which fuel oil would be moved from the UK to France.

Port En Bessin location

Port En Bessin 1944
EAST                                                                            WEST

Port En Bessin 2014
EAST                                                                             WEST

 

The fishing port lies in a hollow with high sides rising up to 200 feet (60 metres),which were know as the Western and Eastern features.

 

Defending PORT EN BESSIN were elements of the German 352nd Infantry Division who held the high ground defended by concrete bunkers, wire entanglement's and mines. To the south concrete entrenchments covered the Bayeux Road.

 



  

Panorama from Eastern feature - moving through west & south 

Port En Bessin - Western feature

 

Port En Bessin - Eastern feature

The plan was 47 Commando would land on GOLD BEACH,  move inland, infiltrate through enemy lines and attack the village from the rear.



Port En Bessin 
WEST                                                             EAST

The operation began at 05:00 6th June 1944 when 420 men of 47 Commando with 420 men loading into landing craft 8 miles (13 km) off the Normandy coast. The German coastal guns opened fire on the craft as they approached the beach sinking one craft, another four were sunk when they hit mines attached to underwater obstacles. During the landing much of the units radio equipment was lost.

Around 300 men mustered on Gold Beach. Having borrowed radio equipment from the 231st Infantry Brigade they set off across country. The force managed to avoid contact until they were engaged at La  Rosière. The Commandos overcame the Germans, taking weapons and equipment to replace  the losses during the landings. By nightfall they reached Point 72 at Escures, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the port, where they dug in, ready to attack next morning.

The attack began by charging and overcoming the defensive position at the south of the village.

One troop then attacked the western feature. The feature was mined, rifle and machine gun fire was heavy, and the defenders were able to roll grenades down the hill. Unknown to the Marines, two Flak ships had been moved into the harbour, and they were able to bring fire onto the advancing troops, forcing them to withdraw.

The situation worsened when a German counter attack captured the Commandos rear HQ and cut off the troops in Escures.

The Marines began to clear the harbour area, but the Western and Eastern features were stubbornly defended by the Germans




Port En Bessin - Harbour

Captain Cousins found an unobserved path and was able to capture a concrete bunker. The Commandos then began to fight their way up the Eastern feature, concrete entrenchments, mines nd barbed wire. Through the night German positions were captured one by one and by dawn the Eastern feature as in the possession of 47 Commando. The positions near Escures were recaptured. At 04:00 8th June, the German garrison commander and 300 men surrendered.

Of the 420 Commandos who embarked, 116 were killed or drowned, and 40 wounded.




Port En Bessin Memorial

 

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D-Day: Heroic battle in Port-en-Bessin