Débarquement Normandie 6 juin 1944 - mémorial Benouville : Pegasusbridge

Calvados

6 juin 1944

“PEGASUS-BRIDGE”

BENOUVILLE, a peaceful spot between Caen and the sea, was, due to its place on the map, a point of strategie importance during the first few hours of OPERATION OVERLORD - the greatest battle of modern times.

For GHQ to consolidate the eastern flank of the Allied Invasion of Normandy, the bridges of Benouville and Ranville had to be taken, neutralising meanwhile the battery at Merville and gaining control of the area between the rivers Orne and Dives.

This mission was given to Major-General Richard GALE who commanded 6 the Airborne, composed of 733 planes and 355 gliders and on the spot with some authentics and independant resistants, in particular Georges and Thérèse Gondrée because without their level, serious and audacity, the course of the history of D-Day and the History of the war would perhaps not have been the same one.

During the night of 5 th and 6 th of June 1944 under the command of Colonel PINE-COFFIN (7th Bat),Brigadier Nigel POETT (5thBrig) Major HOWARD'S Company embarked in three « Horsa » gliders each towed by a « Halifax » landed near the swing-bridge at Benouville, in spite of German oposition succeeded in taking it intact.A few moments later Lt.T .SWEENEYand Lt. D. B. FOX landed near the bridge at Ranville - 400 yards away - taking his objective successfully.The 6th glider landed near the Dives.

Just after midnight of the 6 th June the company courageously fought off German counter-attacks with the7th P.B,until the arival of the 3rd Division including the Brigades of LORD LOVAT and of Brig. PIRON. Reinforcements of several battalions of parachute troops were dropped from the sky in the course of the day.

I-The former museum of the Pegasus was on the property named "Pegasus Bridge" of the family GONDREE which was the first to be liberated in France in the first hours of June 6, 1944. The men of the 6` Airborne Division carried out a "coup de main" in gliders particularly daring and precised in order to capture the bridges and the café. The awaited links were immediately established with Georges GONDREÉ. The idea that a museum should be built comes from her daughter Francoise in April 1969.. She received the highest instruction as well as the highest functions during a certain number of years. She created the "Association pour la Sauvegarde du Site et le Maintien du Souvenir - Musée de Pegasus Bridge" -, made the site officially be protected and the General Sir Richard N GALE GCB, KBE, DSO, MC, became the President. The Museum gathers many civil and military personalities, both in France and in Great Britain. If Museum there is, it is because Georges and Thérèse Gondrée piously kept all these items, collections ,photographs,and friendships within the 6th British Airborne Division to which they belonged to..They were a most distinguished couple of the highest nobility. Biography of civilians: http://www.pegasusarchive.org 6th Airborne Division.

Thanks to the perseverance of Francoise GONDREE, the museum was ready. The date of opening fixed at June 5, 1974 coincided with the official ceremonies of the 30` anniversary of the day ' J '. It tooks place in a great deployment of uniforms, flags, soldiers and commandos of the Alliées army, Bill Millin, detachments of the Regiment of Parachutists..., etc. The ribbon was cut by General GALE in the presence of many dignitaries and guests of honor from the ally countries and the museum was declared open. Since, the exposition continues to develop

All the veterans gave spontanousely private items to Françoise who they knew so well uncluding

The Field Marechal Montgomery received Françoise several times in his Estate in the Kent. He gave his photograph in uniform and a document signed by him . TheGeneral Piron received Françoise several times.He was often coming to Pegasus Bridge.He gave his photograph and a signed document by him.

1982 - His Royal Highness the Prince of Walles gave to Françoise his photograph in uniform,

2000 - Inauguration of the new museum ,then the Horsa glider by His Highness the Prince of Walles

This historical development of the Calvados is the idea of Francoise early in 1969, she took the initiative of the principal museums like the Battery of Merville-Franceville, Ouistreham, Bayeux, Caen, the purchase of lands, the preservation of lands as the Orne zone by the Conservatoire of the littoral. She also worked on the project of reproduction of a Horsa glider. At this time, this project was not easily realisable. She regularly organized military exercises of reconnaissance of the sites as well as the restoration of heavy equipments such as the tank of Graye-sur-mer, a Centaur, a half track, the safeguarding of the bridge, the "son et lumière", etc. ...

The need for a larger space was necessary, she made all the required requests and, in 2000, the new museum located close to the bridge, on the commune of Ranville, was inaugurated in the presence of Prince Charles. At this occasion, he gave her a plaque. All the collections, the files and the furnitures are private or the propriety of Our Museum, responsable of the historical truth whose General Sir Richard Gale as well as the Patronage nominated her as the heiress in its whole authentic legitimacy. Unfortunately, since 2000, all the items cannot be exposed.

" Françoise thanks to your great efforts a Museum has been created. With affection Richard Gale"

Since 1969, Francoise has been working without rest. With General Sir R.GALE,She is the authentic foundress of all this historic undertaking of the Calvados.The veterans, their family, the members and all the friends who support her so actively and so generousely in this work for the true memory and are particurarely thanked.

The Archives section requests any collections, photographs, documents, accounts, items to go ahead in its researches