D-Day The Battle of Merville Gun Battery

The Merville Gun Battery was part of the German “Atlantic Wall” defenses against an allied invasion. The Merville Gun Battery was assigned to a the British under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Terence Otway.

Otway’s parachute troops were scattered wide of the target. He began the assault just before 3:00 am on D-Day (6 June 1944) with about 150 of 540 troops. The actual attack began about 4:15 am. The fighting was fierce and included hand-to-hand combat. After about 20-minutes the Germans surrendered.

German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel ordered rapid completion of the site in March 1944. This site consisted of a command bunker, a trench system, and thick concrete casemates. The defense included a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun and several machine guns in an enclosed area surrounded by two fences of five (or six)-foot-high barbed wire, which was more than 10 feet wide. A minefield lay between the barbed wire fences. On the beach side was an anti-tank ditch, which was 10 feet deep and 14 feet wide.

  

Connections

My Page    www.suttong.com

My Books   AMAZON     GOOGLE PLAY STORE

FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton

TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

LinkedIN Geoffrey Sutton  PhD

PINTEREST  www.pinterest.com/GeoffWSutton

Publications (many free downloads)

     

  Academia   Geoff W Sutton   (PhD)

     

  ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton   (PhD)

Additional Reading/ References

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/attack-on-the-merville-gun-battery-during-the-battle-of-normandy/

https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/battle-of-normandy/cities/merville-franceville

Sainte-Mère-Église Normandy France

Sainte-Mère-Église / Geoff Sutton 2012

Sainte-Mère-Église is a town in Northwest Normandy France. It has become well known for the site of early landings of American paratroopers at 01:40 am—about an hour after British troops took Pegasus Bridge.

Sainte-Mère-Église / Geoff Sutton 2012

Before the troops landed on the beaches, British and American paratroopers landed inland to attack strategic targets. This village, named after the historic church of St Mary, was on a route that would allow Germans to attack the American invasion force landing on Omaha and Utah beaches.

Inside the church, Sainte-Mère-Église/ Geoff Sutton 2012

The Americans were from the U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. Unfortunately, the town was on fire, which made the paratroopers visible thus many were killed before they landed. Some landed in trees. One well-known paratrooper hung from the church spire-- Private John Steele of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

Depiction of Steele/ Photo by Geoff Sutton 2012

Steele acted as if he were dead. He was taken down and kept as a prisoner. Later, he escaped. By 0500, the Americans took the town and held it until reinforcements arrived from Utah Beach the next day, 7 June.

Inside the church/ Sutton 2012

Steele is honoured by a nearby tavern, Auberge John Steele, near the town square.

Read More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-M%C3%A8re-%C3%89glise 

Visiting the area: http://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/sainte-mere-eglise-565-2.html

My Connections

My Page    www.suttong.com

My Books   AMAZON     GOOGLE PLAY STORE

FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton

TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

LinkedIN Geoffrey Sutton  PhD

PINTEREST  www.pinterest.com/GeoffWSutton

Publications (many free downloads)

     

  Academia   Geoff W Sutton   (PhD)

     

  ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton   (PhD)

Pegasus Bridge Benouville Normandy France

Pegasus Bridge, Normandy, France/ Geoff Sutton 2012

Pegasus Bridge represents an early D-Day success story for the allies. Shortly before midnight on 5 June 1944, the 6th British Airborne Division, under the command of Major John Howard, left Dorset in the south of England. Halifax bombers towed the gliders over the channel and unhooked the gliders who were able to land on time and within a few yards of each other.

British Glider / Geoff Sutton 2012

They landed early on the 6th June at 00:16. They overcame German resistance in 10 minutes. The bridge was captured intact over six hours before the beach landings. A message was sent back to England within 90 minutes. The first British solider of the Normandy invasion was killed by gunfire when they stormed the bridge, Lieutenant Den Brotheridge. The Gondrée family who owned one of the first houses liberated in France, honoured the soldier with a plaque in the nearby churchyard. Other soldiers are buried at a cemetery near Ranville.

 The British targeted two bridges between the Ouistreham beach and the important city of Caen. The British troops arrived in six Horsa gliders. Three took the Bénouville Bridge and the other three took the bridge at Ranville.

The operation took the Germans by surprise, but the troops had to work quickly and safely because the bridges were rigged with explosives. The charges were disabled by the Royal Engineers.

The bridge was renamed Pegasus in honour of the winged horse on the badge of the airmen. The old bridge was replaced in 1994 and is now in a museum park. The old Gondrée house is now a café and museum.

Pegasus Bridge Lift Mechanism/ Geoff Sutton 2012

Pegasus Bridge, a bascule (movable) bridge, was constructed in 1934. The bridge rolled back to lift the bridge above the water level. The bridge is over the Caen Canal and part of a direct route between the landing beaches and Caen. The bridge at Ranville is over the River Orne and was renamed Horsa Bridge—for the type of glider used by the troops.

Other photos from the grounds...

























There is no charge to see the museum.

Connections

My Page    www.suttong.com

My Books   AMAZON     GOOGLE PLAY STORE

FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton

TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

LinkedIN Geoffrey Sutton  PhD

PINTEREST  www.pinterest.com/GeoffWSutton

Publications (many free downloads)

     

  Academia   Geoff W Sutton   (PhD)

     

  ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton   (PhD)

British Museum London

The British Museum in London is a favourite place for many. The lines can be long during holidays and when special exhibits are featured. It's also a favourite place for school children on a mission to complete their lessons. However, I have always enjoyed my visits and found myself unable to see it all in one day.

The collections are organised in a few ways as you will see on the floor plan available on the website. Because there is so much to see, it is best to plan a visit. The exhibits are organised by parts of the world and by time period. Examples include The Americas, Africa, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome, and Europe. There are also themed collections such as Enlightenment and Living and Dying.

Exhibits from the ancient world are incredible.

Jehu pays tribute

Rosetta Stone

The Sutton Hoo Treasure is an amazing find ( I suppose I'm not related).

Travel notes

Location: Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG

Transportation: Several underground stations are nearby e.g., Russell Square and Holborn. Many busses stop nearby.

Security: There is a bag search and large luggage is not permitted- storage is available at nearby stations like Euston and Kings Cross

Food: There is food service in the Museum

Admission: Free general admission. Some exhibitions must be booked in advance-see the website

Website: https://www.britishmuseum.org/

You might like this fun and informative guide to British words and phrases.

Mind the Gap on AMAZON  and  GOOGLE

Churchill War Rooms London England

Winston Churchill & Tommy Gun*

The Churchill War Rooms are open most days and well worth a visit if you are interested in WWII history or British history. The website recommends allowing 90 minutes to visit this part of the Imperial War Museum

The entrance is opposite the beautiful James Park off Horse Guards Road. We enter a lower level of the War Office Building.

A guard reminds us of the incredible importance of secrecy and safety to the conduct of the war.




Offices include period furniture, wall maps, and depict activities related to the conduct of WWII.














Posters and story boards also give a sense of the war years.
















A bookstore with books, and various gifts are available.









































Travel notes

Location: Clive Steps, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AQ

Nearby Underground: St James's Park, Westminster.

Admission: There is a fee structure with some discounts. See the website

Food: A café serves traditional British meals.

Website: https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms

You might like this fun and informative guide to British words and phrases.

Mind the Gap on AMAZON  and  GOOGLE

Imperial War Museum London England

Imperial War Museum London / Sutton 16 April 2016

Britain has been a part of the world's wars for centuries. The Imperial War Museum in London is worth a visit to understand the life of soldiers as well as the lives of those at home. Because the wars involved many world powers, there's much to learn about other nations as well. Of course, the machinery of war is also on display in the air and on the ground. Well worth a visit.

The presence of RAF planes hanging from the ceiling illustrate the size of the museum.

There are tanks and other large war machines and vehicles on display.

A number of story boards and posters explain or illustrate various exhibits.

From the simulated trench exhibit during the WWI centennial.

Exhibits include allied nations

Hours: The museum is open 10 - 6 daily except for 24, 25, 26 December

Admission: Free

Refreshments: A Cafe is available.

Toilets: They were well maintained when I visited.

Exhibits: These vary so check the website for details

Storage: Only small lockers are available.

Accessibility: See the website

Locations: This post is about the London site. There are other locations--see the website

London Address: Lambeth Road, London, SE1 6HZ

Website: https://www.iwm.org.uk/

You might like this fun and informative guide to British words and phrases.

Mind the Gap on AMAZON  and  GOOGLE

Visiting Chicago

Chicago, Illinois is a beautiful city with many attractions available nearby. And some are unique in the United States and even the world. I've visited a few over the years. In this post, I provide links to my blogs about various Chicago sites.




Chicago Travel Guide From Lonely Planet


On arrival at the airport (ORD), I purchased a CTA multiday pass. The Blue Line took me to a stop near my hotel on Michigan Avenue. From there I was able to walk to the Museum Campus and Willis Tower and get a Metra train down to the Museum of Science and Industry. There are beautiful parks nearby, plenty of restaurants, and supermarkets for those on a budget.



I recommend checking out the City Pass, which I picked up at the Field Museum when I visited there in May 2019. At that time, I paid $108 to see five attractions. The cost included additional items like exhibits, shows, or films.

You might sample some local foods like Chicago Dogs and Chicago style Deep Dish Pizza.















Here are some places I have visited in or near Chicago.

Morton Arboretum

Willis Tower (Formerly called the Sears Tower)

         The Willis Tower as Architecture

Museum of Science and Industry- near Hyde Park

      About the U-505 Lone Wolf  at the Museum of Science & Industry

Museum Campus near Lake Michigan

The whole area is a nice place to walk, run, ride a bike, and enjoy a picnic.

  Adler Planetarium

 Field Museum (Think Dinosaurs)
 
  Shedd Aquarium


Here's a link to my Chicago Playlist of videos on

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxYjYcgwalAX9ChGni2XlxarHOWPfWoY9


Transportation note

Metra travel 2017

When I visited, the CTA pass worked for CTA trains and buses but did NOT include travel on the Metra trains. Check out their websites for details.

Adler Planetaruim

There are a number of exhibits dealing with space science, space travel, the solar system, telescopes and more.

I saw two movies, which are child friendly. They are impressive on the large ceiling screen viewed from reclining chairs. The childish numor can be annoying or entertaining, depending on your taste or tolerance.

I'd allow 2-3 hours for a basic interest level visit.

Location: The Adler Planetarium is located on the Museum Campus by Lake Michigan.

Admission: It's expensive for those of us from out-of-state. I bought a City Pass to save on costs at five attractions. Some exhibits or events cost extra. Check the website for details.

Crowds: I went after lunch on a Saturday. It was not crowded.

Hours: 9:00 - 4:00 - Open daily --check the website for the latest details.

Food: There are places to purchase lunches and snacks. I was able to bring in my own food.

Friendliness: All the staff I spoke to were friendly.

Maps: A map is available to visitors.

Accessibility: See the website for details.

Parking: Available and expensive.

Website:

Shedd Aquarium Chicago Illinois

I almost skipped the Shedd Aquarium because I have seen several in varioius cities around the world, including a very good one at Wonders of the Wildlife in Springfield, Missouri. However, I am glad I went.

The Shedd Aquarium is worth seeing for the range of sealife inlcuded in the large exhibits.

Seals are entertaining. I was only a few feet away from this one. See video below.

The Beluga Whale exhibit is quite impressive. You can see them from the surface and below the water level.

The penguin exhibit is another favorite.

As you might expect, there are many informative, unusual, and colorful exhibits throughout the aquarium.

The glass was clean and the lighting did not interfere with photography at most displays. This is a valuable lesson other aquarium designers should consider.

My City Pass included a film. I chose the 4-D film about sharks- great fun.

Check out the video clip from the Dolphin Show.

Here's a video clip from the seal show.

Location: The Shedd Aquarium is located on the Museum Campus by Lake Michigan.

Admission: It's expensive for those of us from out-of-state. I bought a City Pass to save on costs at five attractions. Some exhibits or events cost extra. Check the website for details.

Crowds: It did not take long after opening for lots of groups of children to arrive. The aquarium is  large enough that it did not feel crowded.

Hours: Open daily --check the website for the latest.

Food: There are places to purchase lunches and snacks. I was able to bring in my own food.

Friendliness: All the staff I spoke to were friendly.

Maps: A map is available to visitors.

Accessibility: See the website for details.

Website: https://www.sheddaquarium.org/


Check out my books on AMAZON