Pegasus Bridge

The first action on D-day was taking Pegasus bridge at 20 past midnight on the 6th. It was also the only action to go as planned. Major John Howard led this daring raid. The commandos, landing on Sword beach, linked up with them a bit later than planned. They were to be at the bridge at midday but didn't get there till 5 past.
In these videos we will visit D-day sites as if I was guiding you. We will actualy see more than if you were with me. Video allows tele-transporting a few miles in a few seconds.
The first video sets the scene for D-day. Why it was on the 6th June 1944 and why was it on the normandy beaches between Caen and the Cherbourg penisnsula.
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Visited sites - aand projected sites
Why D-Day
Pegasus bridge
Omaha beach 1
Omaha beach 2
Sword beach
Pointe du Hoc
American airborne
Utah beach
Juno beach
Gold beach
British airborne
Band of Brothers
Merville gun battery
The Dives bridges
La Fierre
General Falley
Waverly Wray
Longues gun battery
Arromanches and the Mulberries
82nd airborne
101st airborne
Donald Burgett
Michael Wittman - Villers Bocage - Gaumesnil
Totalise
Worthington Force
Falaise pocket
Taking St Lo
Operation Cobra
Graignes massacre
Joe Beryle
Ed Shames
Angoville au plain
Battle of Bloody gulch
The Malmann line
Taking Cherbourg
Maisy gun battery.
Abbey d'Ardenne and the Canadian 7th June advance
Hillman
Douvre radar station

[@gaussagain]

My wife's uncle was one of the glider pilots (we actually have a photo of his 'crashed' plane taken just hours after the battle showing Pegasus Bridge right behind it). He survived that adventure and then flew another glider a few months later to a different bridge. Near a place called Arnhem! Not so fortunate this time, he was wounded and captured, spending the rest of the war in a POW camp. D-Day and Market Garden! Lived to 94. Amazing man.

[@WalkingDday]

Thanks for the feedback. What was his name?

[@gaussagain]

@@WalkingDday Martin Maxwell

[@WalkingDday]

@@gaussagain Better late than never. You’ve probably seen this article on him. truepatriotlove.com/protect/captain-maxwell/

[@chenghermanhc]

I visited Normandy in 2016 and spent 7 days there alone learning about all the historical sites. It was one of the most enjoyable trips I've ever had. Thank you for these videos to help me re-visit memory lane. I can't wait to be back there again!

[@lescalverley8335]

Very comprehensive and detailed account of the capture of Pegasus Bridge. I visited the site a few years ago and located the stone marker where a former work colleague Staff Sergeant Geoff Barkway piloted the third glider to land. Unfortunately during the action he suffered an injury that later led to his arm being amputated.

[@stevedane787]

I took my wife and sons to Normandy in July 1994, just after the official commemorations. While at Pegasus Bridge, we had the privilege of meeting Major Howard at the café Gondrée, and later visited Ranville cemetery, where Lt. Den Brotheridge is buried. My wife and I returned a year later on our own, and watched a son et lumiere production, chronicling the actions of 6/6/44. This was in a thunderstorm. which heightened the sound effects, giving us a real sense of what it must have been like at the time. That mission was effectively Howard's war, selection and training of the Company began in 1942 and culminated in the successful execution of the mission. If anyone wants to find out more, I can recommend the book "Pegasus Bridge" by Stephen E. Ambrose. My copy is one of my most treasured possessions, as it is autographed by Major Howard and carries a stamp from the café Gondrée, where it was bought.

[@WalkingDday]

Meeting Major Howard must have been a great moment.

[@jack80kiwi]

Very interesting answered a lot of question's. My uncle was in 3 Commando under Lovatt I have a photo taken on the road by the cafe . He went on and was wounded . June 10th was his birthday and he became a legal soldier as he had lied about his age to get into the army.

[@WalkingDday]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@tracylcoe]

Colin was a super guide. We spent 3 days with him. I highly recommend him. You will not get bored. The couple we traveled with, the husband was a real WW2 historian and he and Colin were like long list friends

[@WalkingDday]

Great to have comments like this. With this channel I hope to allow others to experience the d-day zone in a virtual way.

[@markdunn3020]

Could the WW2 historian expert point out there were 6 gliders and Sam Walwock was not any of the piolets. Jim Walwock of the GPR flew glider 1.

[@WolfGirl930]

I’ve been to the bridge twice but this gave me more info than I got previously. Due to go back to Normandy 04/2024 and will re visit this as well as the gun battery. Thanks. I’m going to start going through your content in posted order unless you think or suggest other wise. Thanks for posting.

[@WalkingDday]

I suppose that’s as good as another method. I do have a British/Canadian playlist which concentrates on those sites.

[@Jeffybonbon]

I am a Pilot and I have flown over Normandy a number of times ?And all I can say is the Glider Pilots at Pegasus Bridge were outstanding Flying low and at night is no easy task well done

[@WalkingDday]

And all they had was a stop watch and compas.

[@richardvernon317]

@@WalkingDday And a Halifax crew to get them to the correct release point. Without that the Stop watch and compass method didn't work. which was the reason that one of the Horsas landed nowhere near the target. The Glider crews also trained on a cockpit simulator that used film projectors showing footage of what they were expected to see of the area made with a large scale model of the area around the bridges in moon light.

[@konstantinezitsos1486]

Colin was an awesome guide. He really made the Normandy trip remarkable by sharing his knowledge and the personal conversations that he had with D Day participants. Maryann and I think the youtube channel is a great idea. kz

[@markdunn3020]

I am sorry to burst your bubble he can't even get names right Jim Walwock was the piolet

[@kerrydennison7947]

When are you going to take us on a tour of this museum at Pegasus? And I would like to see you do the Dead Man's corner museum because it is a very cool museum especially covering airborne equipment both German and American. Keep up the good work.

[@laurencaselli1883]

We loved our trip with Colin! We went in January which meant no crowds and we got to see so much. Very knowledgeable and highly recommended!

[@stevenkemp7617]

Colin i just want to thank you for your videos they are so informative i now know a lot more about what i was looking at in normandy last year. i did the usual site seeing if you can call it that went to omaha utah beach pointe du hoc gold sword beaches took hundreds of photos, we also came here of course we had to have coffee at cafe' Gondre'e we were served by this old lady (i refused the soup she offered to other customers) i never thought anything about it. Not until she spoke to a group of other tourists sitting next to us and explained that she was living at the cafe and only a child on the day of the attack on the bridge. that moment made it real i'd not just been looking at war relics but peoples lives. i do plan to try to go back next year

[@WalkingDday]

Thanks for the comment. If you tap on subscribe and the bell, you’ll be kept up to date on new videos. Next one will be Pointe du hoc.

[@michaeld.4521]

Colin gave me and 2 friends a tour of Omaha and Utah Beach. Very knowledgeable. Would highly recommend.

[@TheLoachman]

I've done a fair amount of heading - altitude - airspeed navigation at low level by night, turning on time if a turning point (often a small pond in a huge expanse of forest) could not be identified. That was before we had night vision goggles. It was challenging, and not always comfortable. But that was in little green helicopters. I also overflew the Möhne and Eder dams once while stationed in Germany, but in daylight, and at less than half of the speed that 617 Squadron crews were flying in much less manoeuvrable machines. And without the distraction of being shot at. Such experiences give one much more respect for those that undertook such missions and succeeded, through sheer training, discipline, and courage, than would otherwise have been possible. Successfully landing that close to one's objective at night in a glider and surviving was truly a feat, enhanced perhaps by heaps of luck.

[@mossbrg5]

Good video. Just found this channel subscribed. Next trip to Normandy will include Pegasus Bridge.

[@billinns7676]

will be there next week. Semper Fidelis!

[@WalkingDday]

Don’t miss Ranville cemetery, Mervile battery, Grand bunker ouistreham and Hillman.

[@billd.iniowa2263]

I found this extremely helpful. For one, I didnt know the bridge had been replaced. Also, the fact that one man was killed in the landings. I don't quite understand about the explosives planted on the bridge tho. That seems quite high for placement. I should think it was low and closer to the supporting beams underneath. But it was a thoroughly successful operation and executed quite professionally. Thankyou for this video.

[@WalkingDday]

The bridge support structure is basically a Triangle. There’s the vertical support then the road and the diagonal strut. If you break the triangle at the level of the side walls of the road, the road will collapse.

[@skomil]

Excellent video, thank you. Was a huge fan of the Longest Day and to date have not visited Normandy, this was brilliant.

[@WalkingDday]

Thanks for the appreciation. I’m in the process of editing Michael Wittmann.

[@skomil]

@@WalkingDday That should be interesting a talented tank commander, not all the brave were allied. Any plans to do the Eastern front, such as Seelow? Covid I know is an obstacle

[@WalkingDday]

Steve Wilson :That’s a bit far from my patch. If I run out of subjects in Normandy , might get to do Dieppe (which is still Normandy) , or Dynamo. Plenty to bite on here at the moment.

[@skomil]

@@WalkingDday No worries mate, lots of source material France. Thanks for the vids - watched all of them now!

[@johnharney6548]

Excellent

[@neanderthaloutdoors9202]

It is a poignant area to wander round, I was there in 92 and have photos of the original bridge in situ half raised allowing a barge to pass. At the stones with their names on them near the glider you failed to point out one important name, that of the famous British film actor Richard Todd who was involved in the battle of Pegasus Bridge.

[@WalkingDday]

Thanks for the comment. I did mention him in the video at another time.

[@nigelbarrett4741]

Any update Colin, on a Merville Battery episode? Apologies if you have already done one, but I couldn’t find it.

[@WalkingDday]

Not yet. I’m preparing Operation Cobra just now. I’ve got it on my list.

[@kerrydennison7947]

Sir shouldn't a soldier that was thrown out of the glider be considered a first casualty? I had a great-great uncle that was a glider pilot with the 82nd airborne division he landed a glider in Sicily Normandy and Holland, and he fought alongside the field artillery unit until they were able to evacuate the a couple of weeks later,

[@WalkingDday]

In a way , yes, but not a combat casualty.

[@kerrydennison7947]

What about The landings the US reconnaissance units done on the islands that were off the coast of Utah n Omaha Beach that was hours before the Pegasus bridge touchdown with the gliders.

[@craigb7967]

Great video. Leigh Mallory said that Jim Wallwork piloting was the best piece of flying of the war. Just a side note the Horsa glider was built by Airspeed not Avro.

[@WalkingDday]

You’re right about Airspeed. Don’t know how Avro got stuck in my head.

[@craigb7967]

@@WalkingDday I imagine the amount of knowledge you have to retain regarding D-day its easy to get things muddled up at times. The units alone I find difficult to remember

[@WalkingDday]

@@craigb7967 I’ve been guiding for over thirty years. Sometimes I find I’ve fixed false info in my mind and sometimes history changes, as modern historians reevaluate accepted stories.

[@craigb7967]

@@WalkingDday Thats why its always great to see new books on these historical events. James Holland book on the Battle of Britain gave a lot more insight into the logistics of the conflict as much as the fighting itself. It was definitely a fresh insight from what we have already known from previous research. I found Zaloga's book The Devils Garden also refreshing with his in depth analysis on why Omaha took so many casualties compared to the other landings.

[@TheLoachman]

@@WalkingDday And that experience certainly shows in the three videos that I've watched so far. After seeing your Canadians versus 12th SS Panzer Division one yesterday, I'm working up from the bottom. Thanks.

[@landroverandrew6602]

Really good. Thank you. Do you have a video about the Merville Batteries?

[@WalkingDday]

Glad you appreciate it. The Merville battery is planned. You've subscribed so you'll be kept up to date on the next videos.

[@landroverandrew6602]

Amazing. Thanks for the reply I will keep an eye on it. Keep up the good work.

[@Tracker1944]

the death of Herbert Denham “Den” Brotheridge, considered the first allied officer to have been killed in the ground fighting on D-Day. The theory of a fratricidal fire is supported by the author on the basis of the testimonies collected during his various interviews. Von Keusgen furthermore considers that the accidental death of “Den”, deputy officer and friend of Major Howard commanding English troops, would have been a well-kept secret by British veterans

[@JohnyG29]

Good video, but you need to brush up on your knowledge of the PIAT. It was a very useful anti-tank weapon, and was not fired by a spring (each bomb had a propellant charge in the tail).

[@WalkingDday]

You’re right. The spigot was cocked by pulling hard on the spring, which was difficult laying down, then fired into the back of the « bomb » to launch it.

[@davidcrawford1616]

Go get em Scully you did your duty and some

[@spencerburrows6260]

They effectively had to survive a plane crash before they even started fighting!

[@WalkingDday]

Yes, they were all sat along the sides, they linked arms and lifted their feet off the floor. Major Howard thought he'd gone blind as his helmet was covering his eyes.

[@kevinpowers9024]

Where is the gravesite of Mr. Brotheridge?

[@WalkingDday]

In the Ranville church graveyard. The mlitary cemetery os next to the church. Brotherridge was amongst the first men to be buried and was buried in the churchyard. Entring from near the town hall you turn right and there’s a line of graves following the outside wal. Brotheridge is about three quarters of the way along. There’s a plaque on the wal from the Gondré family.

[@kevinpowers9024]

@@WalkingDday Thank you. I enjoy watching your videos.

[@barrieddayable]

jim wallwork

[@markdunn3020]

Hi Colin, I am sorry . Iwas a dick. Watched more of your vid. Some mistakes early but then spot on.

[@Lol-fd7rd]

1:18 man behind is call of suty british campaing 😕

[@grvital3645]

Like 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@markdunn3020]

Have now watched 5 min, getting more correct

[@markdunn3020]

Not bad however the piolet was Jim Wallwock, not sam

[@WalkingDday]

You’re right.

[@TheVeteransCharity]

Jim Wallwork not Wallwock.

[@trevorfroud794]

As

[@markdunn3020]

I am intrestec to know about the nazi gun battery within 5 miles of point du hoc . The Americans buried

[@TheVeteransCharity]

Grandcamp Maisy Battery. Owned by English farmer, Gary. Very interesting place!

[@francisjohnification]

@@TheVeteransCharity Even more interesting now as there are extra underground bunkers currently being unearthed not far from the original site. You may find his (Gary Sterne) book (s) worth a read as well. The Cover up at Omaha Beach. Ps. I think Gary would prefer to be known as a historian rather than a farmer 😂😉

[@WalkingDday]

It wasn’t burried, it just got overgrown as did Hillman and other sites.

[@michaelpieczynski9340]

Why does he smack his lips as he talks? That’s all I can hear.

[@xrosshair26]

Call Of Duty

[@bakersmileyface]

I'll never forget the soundtrack to Pegasus Bridge from that game. Desperately fighting down to a few men, surrounded by enemies and then that wonderful soundtrack starts playing only for reinforcements to arrive and save the day.

[@markdunn3020]

The 9th para battalion (Lt Col Terrance Otway) job was to destroy, not capture Merrvile. His men had other D Day objectives. Good try but learn your subject!!!

[@WalkingDday]

They did capture the battery, then did what they could to destroy the guns ( couldn’t really destroy Merville ) before leaving to carry out their next task and get out before the Arathusa fired on the battery.

[@markdunn3020]

Learn military speek. Destroy = take and destroy then withdraw. Capture = take and hold . Which one was it.

[@26aldee]

Mark Dunn i dont quite get what your problem is here? You seem like a troll

[@markdunn3020]

I am not a troll, i Iam a ex sapper. If you are going to do military history get it right is all i want. I will give him credit he admits the Jim Walwock goof, iam only making sure he is correct

[@markdunn3020]

A sapper is a Royal Engineer just in case you don't know

[@lamcay400]

Superb.