John Oram's photos with the keyword: Bénouville

At the north west corner of Pegasus Bridge stands the café Les 3 Planeurs (The 3 Gliders). The garden of the café is a very good place to sit and reflect upon how the freedom to do so was won. The area which saw so much strife only 74 years ago is very beautiful and peaceful today. 200_3_P1050705

At the north west corner of Pegasus Bridge stands the café Les 3 Planeurs (The 3 Gliders). The garden of the café is a very good place to sit and reflect upon how the freedom to do so was won. The area which saw so much strife only 74 years ago is very beautiful and peaceful today although the Bofors 40mm gun in the foreground is a sobering reminder of the past. 200_3_P1050707R

In this view across the Caen Canal, the present day Pegasus Bridge (Bénouville Bridge) can be seen with the bust of Major John Howard and the marker for the landing site of his glider to the right of the picture. The famous original was replaced in 1994 by this longer, wider structure. It is now displayed at the nearby Mémorial Pégasus as shown earlier in my photos. 200_3_P1050692

In this view across the Caen Canal, the present day Pegasus Bridge (Bénouville Bridge) can be seen with the Les 3 Planeurs café amongst the buildings in the background. The famous original was replaced in 1994 by this longer, wider structure. It is now displayed at the nearby Mémorial Pégasus as shown earlier in my photos. 200_3_P1050682C

At the north west corner of Pegasus Bridge stands the café Les 3 Planeurs (The 3 Gliders). The garden of the café is a very good place to sit and reflect upon how the freedom to do so was won. The area which saw so much strife only 74 years ago is very beautiful today. 200_3_P1050702

The tranquillity of today's scene between the Caen Canal and the River Orne belies the fury of 6 June 1944. On the bank of the Caen Canal itself stands this memorial marking 'the first part of France to be liberated' . To wander around this area today with the freedom bought by the bravery and lives of those involved in the remarkable glider-borne assault and the subsequent actions is a very moving experience. 200_3_P1050670R

At the site of the glider landings stands this bust of Major John Howard who commanded the critical operation to secure the bridges over the Caen Canal and River Orne, later known as Pegasus and Horsa bridges, prior to the main invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. 200_3_P1050671E

The tranquillity of today's scene between the Caen Canal and the River Orne belies the fury of 6 June 1944. The larger markers in the centre of this picture mark the landing sites of Horsa gliders in the critical operation to secure Pegasus and Horsa bridges ahead of the main D-Day invasion. A third is obscured by foliage. The bust is of Major John Howard who commanded the operation. To wander around this area today with the freedom bought by the bravery and lives of those involved in the remarkable glider-borne assault is a very moving experience. 200_3_P1050669E

In this view west across the Caen Canal, the present day Pegasus Bridge (Bénouville Bridge) can be seen with the Café Gondrée amongst the buildings in the background. The famous original was replaced in 1994 by this longer, wider structure. It is now displayed at the nearby Mémorial Pégasus as shown earlier in my photos. 200_3_P1050667R

In this view west across the Caen Canal, the present day Pegasus Bridge (Bénouville Bridge) can be seen with its steady stream of traffic. The famous original was replaced in 1994 by this longer, wider structure. It is now displayed at the nearby Mémorial Pégasus as shown earlier in my photos. 200_3_P1050660R

In this view west across the Caen Canal, the present day Pegasus Bridge (Bénouville Bridge) can be seen with its steady stream of traffic. The famous original was replaced in 1994 by this longer, wider structure. It is now displayed at the nearby Mémorial Pégasus as shown earlier in my photos. 200_3_P1050662R