Page 26 - QARANC Vol 15 No 1 2017

24 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Defence Medical Services Group (South East)
Op Cantina Ov
A group of 22 personnel from DMGSE embarked on a four day tour of Normandy, France on Operation Cantina Overlord. The objective was to enhance knowledge about the D-Day landings (Operation Overlord) which took place on the 6 June 1944 and the military precision planning it involved. The first stop was Memorial de Caen. The memorial provided the students with an overall understanding of the D-Day landings and countries involved with the operation.
The second day started with a visit to Pegasus Bridge, perhaps one of the most famous landmarks in Normandy. For the British it was crucial that Pegasus Bridge was liberated to ensure the success of Operation Tonga, the codename for airborne operations taking place from 5 – 6 June 1944. The mission to take Pegasus Bridge was led by Maj John Howard and the men of ‘D’ Company, 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. After looking around the Pegasus Bridge museum the students then departed to the Merville Battery.
After a tour of the Merville Battery the students learnt about the importance of the battery in the D-Day Landings. The significance of the battery was that the allied intelligence believed the battery was armed with heavy calibre guns threatening the British troops landing at Sword Beach. The parachute and airborne divisions that were deployed to take battery had significantly reduced in size. The students had time to reflect and decide if the capture was a result of courageous leadership or due to poor airmanship.
Sword Beach was the next destination of the Normandy tour. Here the students learnt how it was one of
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the five main landing sites for the D-Day landings with Sword Beach being one of the two British assault sites.
After Sword Beach the students headed towards Hermanville War Cemetery to allow time for reflection and appreciate the human cost of war. At Hermanville there are 1003 war graves, 103 of which are unidentified. The village of Hermanville lies just behind Sword Beach. Many of those who died during the D-Day operations are buried here.
To finish day two, the students visited the Hillman Bunker where they learnt it was heavily defended by the German,s proving difficult for the Suffolk regiments to take it. It is believed the delay in taking Hillman by the Allies was the reason Caen was not taken on 6 June 1944 as originally planned.
The morning of day three started with Gold Beach and Arromanches. Here the Mulberry Harbour can be seen. This was a temporary harbour
designed to offload the cargo from the ships to the troops inland. The taking of Gold Beach was the responsibility of the British Army whilst bombardment was fulfilled by the Royal Navy.
Omaha Beach was the third of the five main points for the D-Days landings. The students learnt here it was down to the American forces to take the beach. Out of the D-Day landing sites Omaha Beach had the largest number of troops deployed with 34,250 American troops in total.
A visit to Pointe du Hoc was next on the agenda where here the students learnt about how the United States Army Ranger Assault Groups scaled the cliffs to take out the huge 155mm calibre German guns which overlooked the other D-Day landing sites.
The village of Sainte-Mere-Église was another important landmark of the trip. The students learnt how it was the mission of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment to take the town