John Sheldon's photos with the keyword: Pegasus Bridge

The Café Gondrée is a small coffeehouse in the French community of Bénouville. The cafe is located on the west bank of the Caen Canal, at the northwest end of the Bénouville Bridge, now commonly referred to as the Pegasus Bridge. The building was the site of first combat during the D-Day invasion, and is best known for its role commemorating those events. (Wikipedia.)

Pegasus Bridge, originally called the Bénouville Bridge after the neighbouring village, is a road crossing over the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham in Normandy. The original bridge, built in 1934, is now a war memorial and is the centrepiece of the Memorial Pegasus museum at nearby Ranville. It was replaced in 1994 by this modern design which, like the old one, is a bascule bridge. (Wikipedia.) The original bridge played an important part in the June 1944 Normandy Landings. The brutalist style architecture contrasts with the cheerful mural created by schoolchildren. Let's hope that they never experience anything like the events of June 1944.

Pegasus Bridge, originally called the Bénouville Bridge after the neighbouring village, is a road crossing over the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham in Normandy. This is a picture of the original bridge structure which is now the centrepiece of the Memorial Pegasus Museum at Ranville. The Bridge played an important part in the June 1944 Normandy Landings. A force of 181 men in six Horsa Gliders landed at this bridge and at the nearby Horsa Bridge in order to prevent German forces from destroying them when news of the 'D Day Landings' broke. (There is more information on Wikipedia under 'Operation Deadstick'.) The 17 pounder anti tank gun (to the side of the picture) is an example of the weapons that were landed in Normandy, complete with towing trucks, by glider. This weapon was very powerful. (More information under "General Aircraft Hamilcar" on Wikipedia.)

Pegasus Bridge, originally called the Bénouville Bridge after the neighbouring village, is a road crossing over the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham in Normandy. This is a picture of the original bridge structure which is now the centrepiece of the Memorial Pegasus Museum at Ranville. The Bridge played an important part in the June 1944 Normandy Landings. A force of 181 men in six Horsa Gliders landed at this bridge and at the nearby Horsa Bridge in order to prevent German forces from destroying them when news of the 'D Day Landings' broke. (There is more information on Wikipedia under 'Operation Deadstick'.)

The Airspeed AS.51 Horsa was a British troop-carrying glider used during the Second World War. It was developed and manufactured by Airspeed Limited, alongside various subcontractors; the type was named after Horsa, the legendary 5th-century conqueror of southern Britain. (Wikipipedia.) More information on Wikipedia under "Airspeed Horsa". This picture shows the remains of one of the original gliders from World War II and (reflected in the glass) a modern reconstruction. These form part of the Memorial Pegasus Museum at Ranville which commemorates the landing of troops (in Horsa Gliders) at Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge in June 1944.

John Howard was one of nine children born to a working class family in London in 1912. He left school at age 14 years. He rose to the rank of Major in the British Army and in June 1944 led the capture of the Pegasus and Horsa bridges in Normandy ("Operation Deadstick"). He died in 1999, shortly before the opening of the new Memorial Pegasus Museum. This memorial is sited near Pegasus Bridge where he and his men landed in Horsa Gliders. In his later life he visited this place every year to lay a wreath. (More on Wikipedia under "John Howard (British Army officer)".)