​​This themed walk takes in some of the key moments of D-Day, in and around the village of Sainte-Mere-Eglise. It starts at the townhall of the village and ends at the Memorial of Lieutenant Richard Winters.​The town was a key objective for the allies on D-Day, more so for the men of the US 82nd Airborne Division. It was crucial that the town was liberated and the key road junctions that ran through the town were secured. This in turn would allow a swift breakout from the area of Utah beach where the landings would come ashore during the morning.&nbsp;​The town would see action before the landings onto the beaches would begin. In the early hours of the morning, US paratroopers began to land in and around the town. This include the likes of Lieutenant Richard Winters who was portrayed in the series ‘Band of Brothers’ and Private John Steele who is said to have landed on top of the church which was made famous in the film ‘the Longest Day’.&nbsp;​Some American paratroopers would get caught up in trees and telephone wires, their feet never touched the ground before they were killed. Others would immediately engaged with the Germans as they looked to capture the town.&nbsp;​With all this taking place, the civilian story should not be forgotten within the village. In total 24 would be killed on 6 June. They are commemorated on the local town’s memorial as victims of war. Some are buried within the town’s cemetery. This includes the grave of the Viel family. Other civilians would be out in the streets as the paratroopers arrived, much to their surprise and excitement.&nbsp;​Within the centre of the town is the Airborne Museum that has a wealth of historical information, veterans accounts and artefacts. This helps visitors with the understanding and learning of what took place here from 6 June onwards as the American forces secured the Cotentin peninsula.​&nbsp;

France

La Route de la Libération de l’Europe est un itinéraire culturel certifié par le Conseil de l'Europe reliant les pays, régions, lieux de mémoire et histoires marquant la libération de l’Europe de l’occupation du régime nazi. La route a été conçue par la Fondation LRE comme un moyen de réfléchir à l’histoire de la guerre et à ses conséquences à longs termes grâce à une approche multinationale et multi perspective. Avec des centaines de sites et histoires dans neuf pays européens, la route relie les principales régions traversées par les forces Alliées en 1943-1945.La Fondation LRE et sa branche nationale LRE France présentent ici la Route de la Libération en France, la partie française de l’itinéraire qui vise à créer des sentiers de la mémoire dans toutes les régions françaises touchées par la Seconde Guerre mondiale et la Libération. Vous pouvez ainsi découvrir et visiter des musées, des monuments et des sites historiques, et en apprendre plus sur les histoires et les itinéraires thématiques de la LRE en France.

​The famous church spire in the town square with the depiction of Private John Steele who landed in the town on 6 June 1944.​

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The Airborne Museum in the town. It contains a wealth of historical information and extensive displays.

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Sainte-mère-Eglise

​​The accounts of what took place late on 6 June 1944 have drawn millions of visitors to the town to explore, learn and remember. One 20 years old resident of that night was Raymond Paris. He had lived in the town since 1931 and knew many people.&nbsp;​On the night of 5 June at around 22:00, Raymond lay in bed and recalled hearing the church bells ring ten times. At the same time, he was listening to his radio and became excited as it had been broadcast by local resistance that the invasion was imminent.&nbsp;​There was then a knock at the front door of his house to which he answered and was greeted by two of his friends. He was quickly informed that a house, 200 metres away across the road, was on fire. His father was a fireman and would need to react to this news as well. The house on fire belonged to Julia Pommier, an elderly lady who took care of the child in the town.&nbsp;​Along with his father and two friends they ran to the station and collected the two water fire pumps. They went as quickly as possible with the heavy pumps towards the fire, by now the alarm had been raised. They reached the house and began trying to extinguish the fire.&nbsp;​Raymond recalled that suddenly from nowhere the sky was full of the silhouettes of aircraft, huge formations. They have approached low and without any sound, flying about 250-300 metres high. The noise then intensified as they flew overhead, Raymond said it became deafening. They thought it was a bombing raid at first, but quickly no bombs fell, and they realised this was something else.&nbsp;​Around 30 German soldiers then came and joined the group of civilians who were trying to put the fire at the house out. They were not there to help but more to observe and guard, the civilians were outside after the curfew time.&nbsp;​Raymond recalled how a second large formation flew over the town and now the Germans amongst them started to fire at the aircraft above. They could now see paratroopers jumping from the planes and descending to the ground. Paratroopers started to drop directly into the town. Not far from the house was an entrance to the local park, this is where Raymond saw an American paratrooper close for the first time that had been killed. Others soon started to drop around him, unbuckle their harnesses and disappear into the night. Raymond realised it had now become dangerous and he returned home.&nbsp;​​Raymond took refuge in the courtyard of their house as the battle played out. They were joined by their neighbours, the LeClerc and Philippe families. He wanted to go out for a look but recalled how they were all fearful of being shot, caught up in the crossfire. They were also excited as they knew that the liberation was now well underway.&nbsp;​He remembered how Mrs Dufost had headed back to her house to see if the family had awaken to start the daily baking routine. She reported back that there were lots of soldiers in the square, but none of them were wearing German uniforms. Slowly more residents went out into the street to greet the American men, not British as they believed it would be. Raymond said they were filled with excitement and happiness, they were liberated.&nbsp;​The house that the local civilians tried to save was destroyed by the fire. It was demolished and no longer remains, the grounds of where the house was is now the Airborne Museum.​&nbsp;

The House fire

​​​The town was a crucial part of the plans for the US 82nd Airborne Division due to its road network that went in all directions across the Cotentin peninsula. It needed to be secured ready for the advance of the US 4th Infantry Division from Utah beach.&nbsp;The three parachute drop zones for the 82nd were located to the west of the town. It was never the intention to land paratroopers on or into the town on D-Day. However, a small number of men from the 82nd did land in the town.&nbsp;The town hall itself does not have any links to fighting taking place in it. Many of the town’s memorials thought can be located outside the front. Inside, the stars and stripes of the USA flag, from the 3rd Battalion 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) is displayed. This is the exact flag that was originally flown over Naples, Italy following its liberation and then came to Sainte-Mere-Eglise with the unit in 1944. The flag flew over the liberated town. It remains here as a memorial to the unit.&nbsp;The town was liberated at around 05:00 on 6 June following the arrival of Lieutenant Colonel’s Edward Krause and Benjamin H. Vandervoort after skirmishes and forcing the Germans out. The road outside the front of the town hall would also become a key feature over the coming days which allowed the airborne units to link up and have a supply and evacuation route to Neuville-au-Plain to the north.&nbsp;The memorials out the front commemorate both senior airborne officers Major General Ridgway of the 82nd and Major General Taylor of the 101st. A small plaque can be located next to the memorial remembering French residents of the town who fought in both war and died. This refers to the town being the first to be liberated on D-Day, although would be heavily contested by the men of the British 6th Airborne Division who liberated Ranville.&nbsp;To the side of the town hall is a car park, this is the location where Segreants Randleman and Lipton of Easy Company, 506th PIR, US 101st Airborne Division landed after parachuting down. They had been miss dropped about 10km from their designated drop zone. Accounts state that it is where Segreant Lipton saw a sign with ‘Sainte-Mere-Eglise’ written on it and he was very quickly able to establish where he was before moving off with other men back towards their objectives. These two men are extensively featured in the HBO series, Band of Brothers.&nbsp;

Sainte-mère-Eglise townhall

​​​Lieutenant Richard Winters was a platoon commander within Easy Company. After many years of training at Camp Taccoa in the United States of America, the 101st Airborne Division were transferred to the United Kingdom. This was in preparation for the pending liberation of Europe that would take place in 1944.&nbsp;From the quaint village of Aldbourne, Wiltshire the men would head to their respective airfields to board aircraft. Winters boarded his C-47 Skytrain (Dakota) at Upottery, Devon and would parachute into Normandy just after 01:00 on 6 June 1944.&nbsp;The parachute drops for both the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Division would become a challenge. Poor visibility to the west of the Cotentin peninsula with clouds caused problems for the aircrews. The C-47’s would come under intense German anti-aircraft fire from the ground as they approached their drop zones. This included the C-47 in which Lieutenant Thomas Meehan the officer in charge of Easy Company, was in. It was hit by anti-aircraft fire. The C-47 would crash close to Beuzeville-au-Plain killing all onboard, including Meehan.&nbsp;Lt Richard Winters jumped out of his C-47 and unbeknown to him at the time he was not over his parachute drop zone. Due to the speed of the C-47, the group of paratroopers on board known as a ‘stick’ would become scattered.&nbsp;Winters would touch down in this field which is to the western side of Sainte-Mere-Eglise. He very quickly realised that he was alone and isolated. He had also lost him main weapon during the drop and only had his bayonet. The sound of fire fights could be heard from the area of the village centre. This would have been from a stick of paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division that had landed around the main square.&nbsp;Winters with no weaponry knew he needed to move away from the area where he had landed and try to link up with men from his own stick. This would be done by following the flight path direction of the C-47, hoping to run into friendly forces.&nbsp;&nbsp;Winters moved off and headed towards the north of Sainte-Mere-Eglise. In doing so he began to come across other paratroopers, including men of the 82nd Airborne Division. He would then head towards the location of where his objectives were for D-Day.&nbsp;Winters should have parachuted into the area of Sainte-Maire-du-Mont. This is to the southwest of this position and is 10km away from where he did touch down in Normandy.&nbsp;At this point, Winters did not know of Lt Meehan’s death and what would unfold for him, becoming the officer in charge of Easy Company. This was a ‘day of days’ for him and the men of the Company. By the end of the war, he would hold the rank of Major.

​​Lieutenant Richard Winters Landing Point, Band of Brothers​ 

​​During the Normandy campaign, in this area of the Cotentin peninsula, 13,787 American casualties were sustained. In the town of Sainte-Mere-Eglise two provisional cemeteries were created. A third was in Blosville-Caquebut.&nbsp;​Each burial was recorded with details of the casualty taken, if they were known, and identified. The families of the American war dead would eventually then have a choice to make. They had the right for their family member to remain in France and be buried within a USA military cemetery or repatriated home to the States.&nbsp;​Studies on the repatriation process have shown that over 60% of those killed were repatriated home. The remaining 40% would then be buried with an American cemetery. This also means that the number of burials within the cemeteries, now maintained by the American Battle Monument’s Commission, have significant numbers but is a smaller snapshot of the overall losses suffered.&nbsp;​From the smaller provisional cemeteries around the area of the battlefield, casualties would eventually be consolidated into the cemeteries or repatriated home. It was not until 1947 that these cemeteries would begin that process. From this location the men were reinterned at the USA cemeteries at Coleville-sur-Mer or Saint-James.&nbsp;​One provisional cemetery was in this area of the memorial, where the road and carpark now is. The second was located to the west of the town where the supermarket is now located.&nbsp;​In 2019 when the memorial was unveiled, this was done in the presence of George Ciampa who was part of the burial parties who reinterned his fellow servicemen.​&nbsp;

​​Provisional USA cemetery Memorial​ 

​​Alexandre was a veteran of the First World War, joining the French Army in 1912. He served in the 77th Infantry Regiment and in 1914 was sent to the frontlines in the area of Lorraine. In 1917 he was captured by the Germans and would become a prisoner of war whilst fighting the in area of Aisne.&nbsp;​Alexandre was a pharmacist by trade and after the end of the First World War in 1923 he settled in Manche. He had opened a pharmacy in the town and sat on the municipal council from 1923-1944. In early 1944 he would then become the mayor of the town.&nbsp;​In the early hours of 6 June 1944, D-Day, he would receive a knock on the door of his pharmacy from a local man informing him that a house was on fire. The pharmacy is still across the square to the left side.&nbsp;​Alexandre quickly realised this must be important as the man was outside when the German curfew restriction was in place. He was informed of a house on fire and the local town’s people were trying to assist to put it out. They had formed a human chain, passing buckets of water along to douse the flames. The water was being sourced from the pump that is still on the eastern side of the square by the church. &nbsp;​It was at this time also that allied C-47 Skytrain (Dakota) aircraft began to cross the skies above the town. Paratroopers began to fall into the nights sky from the aircraft, Alexandre’s two son’s watched from the upstairs window of the pharmacy. &nbsp;​He then quickly returned to the family informing them of what he had seen and stating that this was not a commando raid but the liberation due to the number of aircraft and paratroopers. The family took refuge in a trench close to the rear of the pharmacy for protection. They would have heard the firefights between the American paratroopers and Germans in the town that night.&nbsp;​Shortly before 05:00 the town had been liberated and was in the hands of the US 82nd Airborne Division. Alexandre and his eldest son headed out into the square to greet the liberators.&nbsp;​Years later when the church in the square underwent repairs, a new stain glass window would be built to remember the story of the night of D-Day. It was in fact Alexandre’s eldest son, Paul Renaud, who’s early artwork remembering that night would be turned into a memorial window. This is now in place above the main entrance door to the church.&nbsp;​Alexandre Renaud died on 1 February 1966; the memorial was placed here on 28 April 1968. &nbsp;​He was also depicted in the film, ‘The Longest Day’.​&nbsp;

​​Alexandre Renaud, the Mayor

Even na middernacht op 6 juni 1944 begon D-Day met luchtlandingen van Amerikaanse en Britse para’s op Frans grondgebied. Twee Amerikaanse luchtlandingsdivisies hadden de opdracht een bruggenhoofd bij Sainte-Mère-Église te vestigen om de landingen van de Amerikaanse infanterie op Utah Beach te dekken.
Even na middernacht op 6 juni 1944 begon D-Day met de luchtlandingen van Amerikaanse en Britse para’s op Frans grondgebied. De 82e en de 101e Amerikaanse luchtlandingsdivisies hadden de opdracht een bruggenhoofd te vestigen op de westflank van de geallieerde aanval. 13.348 para’s sprongen uit 821 Douglas C-47 vliegtuigen terwijl 4.400 soldaten landden met zweefvliegtuigen. Hun opdracht was om de landingen van de Amerikaanse infanterie op Utah Beach te dekken en gezamelijk zo snel mogelijk Cherbourg in te nemen. De 82e Divisie onder leiding van generaal Matthew B. Ridgway moest Sainte-Mère-Église veroveren, een dorp op de hoofdweg tussen Caen en Cherbourg. Dit was de meest waarschijnlijke weg voor een Duitse tegenaanval. De para’s bliezen een aantal bruggen op om te voorkomen dat de Duitsers versterkingen vanuit het zuiden zouden aanrukken en ze vestigden op een aantal strategische punten een bruggenhoofd voor latere acties. De 101e Luchtlandingsdivisie onder leiding van generaal Maxwell D. Taylor moest de uitgangen van de landingsstranden veilig stellen. Ook moesten ze doelen landinwaarts aanvallen, zoals de Duitse geschutsbatterij bij Saint-Martin-de-Varreville en een aantal bruggen richting Carentan. Om de naderende transport- en zweefvliegtuigen de weg te wijzen, hadden scouts de zes landingsplaatsen gemarkeerd met lichtbakens. Deze aanpak werkte maar op één plek. De meeste para’s landden ver buiten hun toegewezen zone. Het resultaat was een grote verwarring, omdat de eenheden elkaar niet konden vinden. Toch wisten de twee Amerikaanse divisies de meeste van hun doelen te bereiken. Het belangrijkste was de bevrijding van Sainte-Mère-Église vroeg in de ochtend. In de middag begonnen de Duitsers de verwachte tegenaanval, die door de licht bewapende luchtlandingstroepen werd afgeslagen. De volgende dag werden ze bijgestaan door de tanks die geland waren op Utah Beach.

Shortly after midnight on 6 June 1944, D-Day began with the landing of American and British airborne troops on French soil. Two U.S. Airborne Divisions were tasked to establish a bridgehead in the sector of Sainte-Mère-Église, to back up the landing of the U.S. infantry on Utah Beach.

Shortly after midnight on 6 June 1944, D-Day began with the landing of American and British airborne troops on French soil. The 82nd and 101st U.S. Airborne Divisions were tasked to establish a bridgehead on the Western flank of the Allied assault. 13.348 paratroopers jumped from 821 Douglas C-47 planes, while 4.400 soldiers were transported in gliders. Their mission was to back up the landing of the American infantry troops at Utah Beach and to help them take Cherbourg as fast as possible.

To start with, the 82nd Division led by General Matthew B. Ridgway was to take Sainte-Mère-Église, a village on the main road linking Caen to Cherbourg, which was a likely route for a German counterattack. The paratroopers also blew up a number of bridges to prevent German reinforcements coming in from the south, and to establish strategic bridgeheads for further military operations.

The 101st airborne division under General Maxwell D. Taylor had to secure a safe exit from the landing beaches. Units of this division also conducted raids against inland targets like the German gun battery located in Saint-Martin-de-Varreville and a number of bridges leading to Carentan.

As the transport aircraft and the gliders closed in on the French coast, scouts marked out six drop zones with beacons and lights. This approach was successful in only one of these zones: most paratroopers landed outside the designated areas. Confusion thus prevailed as the different units could not gather up. Still, the two U.S. airborne divisions were able to accomplish most of their missions. Most importantly, Sainte-Mère-Église was liberated in the early hours of 6 June. In the afternoon the Germans managed a counterattack, but the lightly armed airborne troops held out until the next day when they were reinforced by tanks from nearby Utah Beach.

De Amerikaanse luchtlandingen in Normandië

Het Sainte-Mère-Église Museum opende haar deuren in 1964. Door de jaren heen werd het een van de belangrijkste attracties in het gebied van de landingen. Sainte-Mère-Église werd beroemd na het uitbrengen van de film The Longest Day van Darryl F. Zanuck, gebaseerd op een boek van Cornelius Ryan. Het museum is hoofdzakelijk gewijd aan de nagedachtenis van de Amerikaanse paratroepen van de 82e en 101e Luchtlandingsdivisies. Deze divisies landden aan de basis van het schiereiland Cotentin in de nacht van 5 op 6 juni 1944. Bezoekers kunnen de wapens bekijken die gebruikt werden door de Amerikaanse luchtlandingstroepen tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog. De rol van de Amerikaanse para’s tijdens de landingen in Normandië is het belangrijkste onderwerp van het Sainte-Mère-Église Museum. De collectie bevat onder andere het beroemde troepen-transportvliegtuig de Douglas C-47 (de skytrain) en het Waco zweefvliegtuig. De laatste is nergens anders in Frankrijk te zien. Sinds de opening hebben veteranen onophoudelijk privé items gedoneerd. Door de persoonlijke ervaringen van de oorlog te vertellen, kan het museum de menselijke kant van het verhaal laten zien. In juni 2014 is het museum uitgebreid. Hier worden bezoekers verder geïnformeerd over de historische veldslagen waarin de Amerikanen betrokken waren na de landing in Normandië. Een speciale ruimte maakt het de bezoeker mogelijk om te voelen hoe het was voor de Amerikaanse para’s om over het Kanaal te vliegen, samengeperst in de cabine van een C-47 vliegtuig. Een legendarisch Amerikaans trainings- en verkenningsvliegtuig, de Piper Cub, schittert in de hal van de uitbreiding van het museum. Toeristische informatie Ga voor meer informatie en de openingstijden naar: http://www.airborne-museum.org/nl/

The Sainte-Mère-Église museum was inaugurated in 1964 right where American paratroopers were involved in fierce battles during the night of 5 to 6 June and the following days. The museum holds an important collection of uniforms, weaponry and other war memorabilia. Two additional buildings opened in June 2014.

The Sainte-Mère-Église Museum opened its doors in 1964. Over the years it has become one of the major attractions in the landings area. Sainte-Mère-Église became famous after the release of the film ‘The Longest Day’ by Darryl F. Zanuck, based on a book by Cornelius Ryan. This museum is essentially dedicated to the memory of American paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions who were dropped over the base of the Cotentin Peninsula during the night of 5 to 6 June 1944.

Visitors can appreciate the weaponry used by American airborne units during the Second World War. The American paratroopers and their role in the Landing in Normandy are the focus of the Sainte-Mère-Église Museum. The collection features the deservedly famous troop transportation plane Douglas C-47 (also known as ‘Skytrain’) as well as a Waco glider which cannot be seen anywhere in France other than in Sainte-Mère-Église.

Since its opening, veterans have ceaselessly donated war items related to their individual experiences within the bigger war effort and have thus endowed the museum with a deeply moving human approach.

In June 2014, an extension of the museum opened its doors. It makes visitors even more knowledgeable about the historical battles the American paratroopers were involved in after landing in Normandy.

The modern scenography featured in a special area enables visitors to almost share the inner feelings of those American paratroopers as they were, for example, flying over the Channel, squeezed inside the cabin of a C-47 plane. A legendary American training and reconnaissance plane known as the Piper Cub has pride of place in the hall of the extension.

Sainte-mère-Eglise

Foto's

Locaties en verhalen langs de route

The House fire

Sainte-mère-Eglise townhall

Lieutenant Richard Winters Landing Point, Band of Brothers

Provisional USA cemetery Memorial

Alexandre Renaud, the Mayor

De Amerikaanse luchtlandingen in Normandië

Het Luchtlandingsmuseum Sainte-Mère-Église

Sainte-mère-Eglise

Foto's

Locaties en verhalen langs de route

The House fire

Sainte-mère-Eglise townhall

​​Lieutenant Richard Winters Landing Point, Band of Brothers​

​​Provisional USA cemetery Memorial​

​​Alexandre Renaud, the Mayor

De Amerikaanse luchtlandingen in Normandië

Het Luchtlandingsmuseum Sainte-Mère-Église

Lieutenant Richard Winters Landing Point, Band of Brothers

Provisional USA cemetery Memorial

Alexandre Renaud, the Mayor