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Houlgate Battery
The Houlgate battery (also called the Battery de Tournebride) was a World War II German artillery battery constructed close to the French village of Houlgate in the Calvados department in the Lower Normandy region. Built into the top of a cliff, the bunker complex was created to protect the western bank of the mouth of the River Seine and was east of the Normandy landing beach Sword which it shelled. The former fire control post has been turned into an orientation table. The battery is 8 km west of the Mont Canisy battery. Construction The Organisation Todt constructed concrete pits to protect six 155 mm K420 cannons in 1941. Each pit was linked via tunnels to ammunition stores and by telephone to a range-finding post. The Germans aimed to place all the First World War vintage French guns inside H679 casements but by the time of the Normandy landings only two had been completed. Garrison The Houlgate battery was garrisoned by the 3 Company of the 1255 Heeres-Küs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atlantic Wall
The Atlantic Wall () was an extensive system of coastal defence and fortification, coastal defences and fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the coast of continental Europe and Scandinavia as a defense (military), defence against an anticipated Operation Overlord, Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe from the United Kingdom, during World War II. The manning and operation of the Atlantic Wall was administratively overseen by the German Army (Wehrmacht), German Army, with some support from ''Luftwaffe'' ground forces. The ''Kriegsmarine'' (German Navy) maintained a separate coastal defence network, organised into a number of sea defence zones. Hitler ordered the construction of the fortifications in 1942 through his Führer Directive No. 40. More than half a million French people, French workers were drafted to build it. The wall was frequently mentioned in Nazi propaganda, where its size and strength were usually exaggerated. The fortifications i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Regions Of France
France is divided into eighteen administrative regions (, singular ), of which thirteen are located in metropolitan France (in Europe), while the other five are overseas regions (not to be confused with the overseas collectivities, which have a semi-autonomous status). All of the thirteen metropolitan administrative regions (including Corsica ) are further subdivided into two to thirteen administrative departments, with the prefect of each region's administrative centre's department also acting as the regional prefect. The overseas regions administratively consist of only one department each and hence also have the status of overseas departments. Most administrative regions also have the status of regional territorial collectivities, which comes with a local government, with departmental and communal collectivities below the regional level. The exceptions are Corsica, French Guiana, Mayotte and Martinique, where region and department functions are managed by single l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Military History Of France During World War II
From 1939 to 1940, the French Third Republic was at war with Nazi Germany. In 1940, the German forces defeated the French in the Battle of France. The Germans occupied the north and west of French territory and a collaborationist régime under Philippe Pétain established itself in Vichy. General Charles de Gaulle established a government in exile in London and competed with Vichy France to position himself as the legitimate French government, for control of the French overseas empire and receiving help from French allies. He eventually managed to enlist the support of some French African colonies and later succeeded in bringing together the disparate '' maquis'', colonial regiments, legionnaires, expatriate fighters, and Communist snipers under the Free French Forces in the Allied chain of command. In 1944, after the Allies had landed in Normandy and the southern front moved from North Africa across the Mediterranean into Italy and Provence, these forces routed the German Army, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pen & Sword Publishing
PEN may refer to: * (National Ecological Party), former name of the Brazilian political party Patriota (PATRI) *PEN International, a worldwide association of writers **English PEN, the founding centre of PEN International **PEN America, located in New York City **PEN Center USA, part of PEN America **PEN Canada, Toronto **PEN Hong Kong **Sydney PEN, one of three Australian PENs *PEN-International, Postsecondary Education Network International, an international partnership of colleges for those with hearing impairment *Penang International Airport, Malaysia, IATA airport code: PEN *Penarth railway station, Wales, station code: PEN *Peruvian sol, ISO 4217 currency code PEN *, the system of national executive power embodied in the President of Argentina *Polyethylene naphthalate, a polyester *Private Enterprise Number, an organisation identifier *Protective earth neutral in electrical earthing systems See also *Pen (other) *PEN/Faulkner Foundation The PEN/Faulkner Foundat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early Middle Ages, medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Kingdom of France, France. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the English Navy of the early 16th century; the oldest of the British Armed Forces, UK's armed services, it is consequently known as the Senior Service. From the early 18th century until the World War II, Second World War, it was the world's most powerful navy. The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing and defending the British Empire, and four Imperial fortress colonies and a string of imperial bases and coaling stations secured the Royal Navy's ability to assert naval superior ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merville Gun Battery
The Merville Gun Battery is a decommissioned coastal fortification in Normandy, France, which was built as part of the Germans' Atlantic Wall to defend continental Europe from Allied invasion. It was a particularly heavily fortified position and one of the first places to be attacked by Allied forces during the Normandy Landings commonly known as D-Day. A British force under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Terence Otway succeeded in capturing this position, suffering heavy casualties. Defences The Merville Battery is composed of four steel-reinforced concrete gun casemates, built by the Todt Organisation. Each was designed to protect First World War-vintage Czech-made leFH 14/19(t) 100 mm (3.93-inch) mountain howitzers with a range of 8,400 m. Other buildings on the site include a command bunker, a building to accommodate the men, and ammunition magazines. During a visit on 6 March 1944, to inspect the defences, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel ordered the build ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
B-26 Marauders
The Martin B-26 Marauder is an American twin-engined medium bomber that saw extensive service during World War II. The B-26 was built at two locations: Baltimore, Maryland, and Omaha, Nebraska, by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater of World War II in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe. After entering service with the United States Army aviation units, the aircraft quickly received the reputation of a " widowmaker" due to the early models' high accident rate during takeoffs and landings. This was because the Marauder had to be flown at precise airspeeds, particularly on final runway approach or when one engine was out. The unusually high 150 mph (241 km/h) speed on short final runway approach was intimidating to many pilots who were used to much slower approach speeds, and when they slowed to speeds below those stipulated in the manual, the aircraft would often stall and crash.Ethell 1995, p. 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Sunstar
Operation Sunstar was a Second World War raid on Houlgate in Normandy, France over the night of 22/23 November 1941. British Commandos of No. 9 Commando took part in the raid. Their objective was the Batterie de Tournebride on the ''Butte de Houlgate''.Marcel Miocque et Huguette Vernochet (2006). ''Houlgate regards sur le passé''. p182 Ninety men of No. 9 Commando travelled across the English Channel on HMS ''Prince Leopold'' and landed at the bottom of the Vaches Noires. The ship also transported four Assault Landing Craft, which were used for the landing, while four Motor Gun Boats provided cover. The operation encountered several difficulties. At first there was no sign of any Germans, but soon the area was illuminated by flares and searchlights. Trucks were seen approaching, so the raiders still on the beach swam out after exchanging torch signals with the cover party. The LCA gunners withheld their fire in order not to reveal their position. During this time another raider ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mont Canisy Battery
The Mont Canisy battery was a World War II German artillery battery constructed close to the French village of Benerville-sur-Mer in the Calvados department in the Lower Normandy region. Located on the highest ground in Normandy ( high), the vantage point overlooks the Côte Fleurie. The bunker complex was constructed between 1941 and 1944 to protect the River Seine estuary and the port of Le Havre. It was a large artillery bunker complex between Cherbourg and Le Havre (the largest being the Maisy Battery complex with its 6 x 155mm French guns at Le Perruques); 4 x 105's at La Martiniere; 4 x 150mm's at Foucher's farm). The battery is east of the Houlgate battery. A French naval coastal battery was on the site from 1935 to 1940. In 1940 the guns were put out of action before the site was captured by advancing German troops in 1940. Much of the site is now a nature reserve and the bunker complex is open to the public and guided tours take place throughout the summer. French ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sword Beach
Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord. The Allied invasion of German-occupied France commenced on 6 June 1944. Stretching from Ouistreham to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Calvados, Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, the beach proved to be the easternmost landing site of the invasion after the abortion of an attack on a sixth beach, code-named Band. Taking Sword was to be the responsibility of the British Army with sea transport, mine sweeping and a naval List of ships in Sword Bombardment Group, bombardment force provided by the British Royal Navy as well as elements from the Polish Navy, Polish, Royal Norwegian Navy, Norwegian and other Allied navies. Among the five beaches of the operation, Sword is the nearest to Caen, about from the goal of the 3rd Infantry Division. The landings were achieved with low Allied casualties but the advance ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
River Seine
The Seine ( , ) is a river in northern France. Its drainage basin is in the Paris Basin (a geological relative lowland) covering most of northern France. It rises at Source-Seine, northwest of Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre (and Honfleur on the left bank). It is navigable by ocean-going vessels as far as Rouen, from the sea. Over 60 percent of its length, as far as Burgundy, is negotiable by large barges and most tour boats, and nearly its whole length is available for recreational boating; excursion boats offer sightseeing tours of the river banks in the capital city, Paris. There are 37 bridges in Paris across the Seine (the most famous of which are the Pont Alexandre III and the Pont Neuf) and dozens more outside the city. A notable bridge, which is also the last along the course of the river, is the Pont de Normandie, the ninth longest cable-stayed bridge in the world, which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lower Normandy
Lower Normandy (, ; ) is a former administrative region of France. On 1 January 2016, Lower and Upper Normandy merged becoming one region called Normandy. Geography The region included three departments, Calvados, Manche and Orne, that cover the part of Normandy traditionally termed "Lower Normandy" lying west of the river Dives, the Pays d'Auge (except a small part remaining in Upper Normandy), a small part of the Pays d'Ouche (the main part remaining in Upper Normandy), the Norman Perche, and part of the "French" Perche. It covers 10,857 km2, 3.2 percent of the surface area of France.(Northcutt, 1996, p. 181) The traditional districts of Lower Normandy include the Cotentin Peninsula and La Hague, the Campagne de Caen, the Norman Bocage, the Bessin, and the Avranchin. History :''Regions relating to Lower Normandy: Gallia Lugdunensis, Neustria, and Normandy.'' The traditional province of Normandy, with an integral history reaching back to the 10th century, was div ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
