Sword Beach
Sword beach is one of the five landing zones on the Normandy coast. These areas will be used to launch the main assault of Operation Neptune.
Sword is divided into several sectors which are divided into ranges. The planners of Operation Overlord divide it into four landing sectors from west to east.
These sectors are:
the “Oboe” from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer to Luc-sur-Mer
the “Peter” from Luc-sur-Mer to Lion-sur-Mer
the “Queen” of Lion-sur-Mer at La Brèche d'Hermanville
and finally “Roger” from La Brèche d'Hermanville in Ouistreham.
In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
Eisenhower and Montgomery, aim to capture Caen on the first day. Thus on D-day, the city of Caen is designated as the main objective of the 3rd British infantry division. Because of the five beaches of Operation Neptune, Sword is the closest to Caen. And for good reason since it is located only 15 km from the objective of the 3rd English division.
Twenty fortified squares are built at the front and rear of SWORD Beach. These defensive structures also include several artillery batteries. Finally, wooden stakes, mines or Czech hedgehogs protect the coast.
During this time the infantry built trenches and places for mortars and machine gun nests along the beach. Barbed wire surrounds all the positions bordering the beach.
Visite d'inspection des défenses côtières par le maréchal Rommel
To strengthen the coastal defenses, Rommel had six additional fortified points built. They are composed of eight anti-tank guns of 50 mm, four of 75 mm and one of 88 mm. In addition, various obstacles are installed to block the beach exits.
Behind the beaches there are also six artillery batteries, three of which are based directly on fortified points. These latter batteries total four 100 mm guns and up to ten 155 mm guns. In addition, east of the Orne, the Merville battery contains four 100mm howitzers which can fire directly at Sword Beach and the Allied armada.
In total, between Cherbourg and the Seine, 32 batteries can fire on the five landing beaches. 1.8 m thick reinforced concrete casemates house more than 50% of them.
