Pegasus Bridge holds a unique place in the story of D-Day: it was the very first objective liberated in the liberation of Western Europe. At 00:16 on 6 June 1944 — more than six hours before the first soldier set foot on the beaches — six Horsa gliders carrying 181 men of the British 6th Airborne Division landed in near-total darkness within metres of their target. Their mission, under the command of Major John Howard, was to seize the bridges over the Caen Canal and the Orne River and hold them until ground forces arrived. They took both bridges in under ten minutes, without losing a single man in the assault.
The success of the operation was critical. Had the Germans been able to destroy the bridges and use the waterways as a defensive barrier, the eastern flank of the entire Allied landing would have been exposed. By holding them intact, Howard’s men allowed the rapid reinforcement of the airborne bridgehead that secured the left side of the invasion.
Café Gondrée — The First House Liberated in France
On the western bank of the canal, directly beside the bridge, stands Café Gondrée — the first house in France to be liberated on D-Day. Georges and Thérèse Gondrée had been passing information to British intelligence for months before the landings. When the paratroopers arrived in the small hours and knocked on the door, Thérèse opened it and Georges fetched 97 bottles of champagne he had buried in the garden to hide from the Germans. The café has been run ever since by their daughter Arlette Gondrée, who has welcomed veterans, dignitaries and visitors for over 80 years. It remains a deeply personal and moving place to visit.
Mémorial Pégase
The Mémorial Pégase museum at Ranville, a few hundred metres from the bridge, houses the original Pegasus Bridge — replaced in 1994 but preserved here in its entirety — along with an extraordinary collection of artefacts. Among the exhibits are Major John Howard’s beret and service pistol, the bagpipes of Private Bill Millin (the famous “Mad Piper” who played on the beaches while others ducked for cover), Horsa glider components, personal letters, photographs and equipment belonging to the men of the 6th Airborne. The museum tells the full story of the airborne operation, from planning through execution to the weeks of fighting that followed.
Getting There
Pegasus Bridge is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes from Château de Flottemanville by car, heading south-east toward Caen and then north along the D514 to Bénouville. It pairs naturally with a visit to the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery at Ranville — the first Commonwealth cemetery established in France after D-Day — and the town of Caen, whose museum (Mémorial de Caen) offers the most comprehensive overview of the entire Normandy campaign.