Mémorial Pegassus
The Pegasus Memorial is a museum dedicated to the men of the 6th British Airborne Division, the "Red Berets". They present their missions in Normandy on June 6, 1944, on D-Day.
The division, commanded by General Richard Gale, was composed of paratroopers and airborne troops carried on board Horsa and Hamilcar gliders. It was to hold the eastern flank of the landing beaches against German counter-attacks from that direction.
The mission of the 6th Airborne Division was to be carried out according to three objectives:
The intact capture of the bridges on the Caen canal at Bénouville and on the Orne at Ranville, in order to allow the crossing of allied reinforcements coming from the beaches.
Taking the battery of Merville with destruction of its guns to prevent the shots in direction of the beach Sword on Ouistreham and in direction of the fleet allied offshore.
The position taken on the heights east of the Orne and destruction of the bridges on the Dives.
All his missions were successfully completed, before dawn, at the price of heavy losses. More than 2,000 soldiers now reside in Ranville Cemetery, a few miles from the Pegasus Memorial.
Distance: 79 Km
Driving Time: 55 Minutes