Horsa Bridge Memorial, Ranville

Horsa Bridge (previously known as Ranville bridge) along with Pegasus Bridge was captured during Operation Deadstick by a glider borne coup de main shortly before the Allied invasion began on D-Day.

HORSA BRIDGE

SOON AFTER MIDNIGHT ON 5/6 JUNE 1944
A HORSA GLIDER FLOWN BY S/SGTS
R A HOWARD AND FW BAACKE GLIDER
PILOT REGIMENT LANDED NORTH WEST OF
THIS BRIDGE WITH A PLATOONOF OXF
BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY LED BY LT J BENCE
THEY CAPTURED THE BRIDGE A SECOND
PLATOON UNDER LT H J SWEENY LANDED
NEARBY PILOTED BY S/SGTS S PEARSON
AND L GUTHRIE AND REINFORCED THEM

Horsa Bridge over the Orne was the second objective of the operation that seized Pegasus Bridge. The full story of both bridges is in our Pegasus Bridge guide.