Sword Beach 6th June 1944
Le Bunker, Ouistrehem
Situated inside a Fire Control Bunker at Ouisteham, which overlooked Sword Beach, this museum tells the story behind the Atlantic Wall .
Hermanville War Cemetery
Situated inland from Sword Beach, this cemetery contains the graves of more than 1,000 British & Commonwealth soldiers who died on D Day or in the advance on Caen.
In many ways Sword Beach was the key to success in the Normandy landings. It was the nearest beach to Caen , the capital of the area and the prize that would need to be taken to allow a breakout. The plan was to land the 3rd Infantry Division (‘Monty’s Ironsides’), who would then link up with 6th Airborne Division on the Eastern Flank. The 3rd Division would be assisted in the landings by Lord Lovat’s 1st Special Service Brigade, which also included French commandos. Their opposition would be units from the German 716th Division, with 21st Panzer Division located in the Caen area – a possible major threat if tanks arrived to block the invasion.
