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Pegasus Bridge

bridge, Caen, France

Quick Summary

Pegasus Bridge, located in Bénouville, France, was a crucial objective during the Normandy Invasion on D-Day, June 6, 1944. British airborne troops landed by glider near the bridge over the Caen Canal to capture it and a nearby bridge over the Orne River. This strategic capture was vital for securing the eastern flank of the Allied landings at Sword Beach and preventing German counterattacks. The bridge, originally built in 1935 and rebuilt in 1994, is now known as Pegasus Bridge and is commemorated at the Airborne Forces Museum nearby. The city of Caen itself was a key German defensive point and suffered extensive damage during the invasion.12

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. Bénouville
  2. Sword Beach
  3. Caen

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