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On the 6 July 1944 the maximum seaborne invasion the entire world has ever known took place on the Calvados Coast of Normandy, France. This invasion was the beginning of the conclusion of the Second Earth Conflict and the 6 July 1944 will be forever known as D-Day. This information is an bill of the first action that took place on D-Day at the Caen Canal and Lake Orne Links near Bénouville, France. It shows the real story of the coup-de-main strike by English Gliderborne troops to fully capture those two vital bridges.

Previous the seaborne landings three Allied Airborne Divisions were dropped to secure the flanks of the five-invasion beaches where the Allied 21st Military Class was ahead ashore. In the west two US Airborne Divisions dropped onto the Cotentin peninsula behind UTAH seaside and in the east the English 6th Airborne Team (Br 6 AB Div) dropped in to the area involving the Lake Orne and Lake Dives to the east of SWORD beach.

One of the major tasks of the Br 6 AB Div was to seize whole both connections within the Caen Canal and Lake Orne near Bénouville and hold them until treated against any German counterattacks. This objective was considered to be crucial to the accomplishment of the invasion, as it allows the seaborne forces to bolster the Br 6 AB Div's region and subsequently bust out to the east. D Company the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mild Infantry (D Coy 2 OBLI) commanded by Important Steve Howard was selected to carryout this objective and this really is their story.

On the day of 5 July 1944 the men of D Coy 2 OBLI began their ultimate preparations and at midday Maj Howard found that the invasion was on. He bought the men to sleep and once the night food was over they boarded the trucks to attend their roofing installation companies gliders. Because they climbed within their gliders he shook arms with the officers and called out words of encouragement to the men. Ultimately he transferred to their own glider, upon the nose that Pte Wally Parr had chalked'Lady Irene'to name it following his wife. When Maj Howard got in the glider, the entranceway was closed and on schedule they began to maneuver down the runway. At 22.56 hrs'Lady Irene'was airborne and D Coy 2 OBLI was on the way in to history.

The six Halifax bombers from 298 Squadron RAF took-off with the enclosed Horsa gliders in tow and crossed the English Station flying at an elevation of 7,000 ft. Throughout them were Major Bombers going to drop bombs on German positions in the invasion region, Caen and other selected targets. With all of this air activity the German anti-aircraft and searchlight crews didn't notice the gliders.

At the appointed time the Halifax bomber released the first glider to start their encounter the target. In the glider S/Sgt Wallwork tested their elevation and the compass, while S/Sgt Steve Ainsworth tested his stopwatch. At the appointed level they looked to starboard and almost down the crosswind leg of their approach S/Sgt Wallwork saw it, he may make out the water, the canal and both bridges. With visibility great and the target in view he dropped the glider's nose and created for the LZ. With the ground rushing up at around 95mph he presented the glider on program; they hit the ground and caught the first of the cord defences. Jim Wallwork shouted, "Flow" and Steve Ainsworth released the arrester parachute; it lifted the trail, forced the nose in to the ground, tore down the wheels and shifted the glider back to the air. The arrester parachute did their job and they hit the ground again; now on the skids. Jim Wallwork shouted, "Jettison" and Steve Ainsworth pressed the button to produce the parachute; today going at about 60mph the glider threw up a huge selection of friction sparks from the skids as they passed over rocks. Viewing these sparks through the start home Maj Howard thought that they'd been noticed and were being shot upon. Most of a sudden there is an almighty crash and the glider came to a jarring halt; Jim Wallwork and Steve Ainsworth were hurled out through the cockpit however secured within their seats. It had been 00.16 hrs early each morning of D-Day 6 July 1944 and the first Allied troops had arrived on German soil.

The glider's individuals were momentarily bumped unconscious, but Maj Howard's fanaticism for physical fitness paid; they easily recovered and in a subject of moments their instruction knocked in. Quickly eliminating their harnesses, they exited the glider through any gap they may produce or find. On attaining the outside Maj Howard realised that there is number firing and they'd arrived without being spotted. Looking around he thanked lord for Jim Wallwork and Steve Ainsworth; they'd set the glider correct in to the place of the subject where he needed it.

Lt Herbert Denham'Bedroom'Brotheridge and the men of 25 Platoon swiftly exited the glider and gently shook out within their strike formation. Lt Brotheridge whispered in to Cpl Port Bailey's hearing and down he gone together with his two men to manage the pillbox where the shooting system to hit the connections was located. Getting the remaining of his platoon he gave a whispered, "Come on lads" and they made a rush for the bridge.

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