Ranville in Calvados, Normandy, France — Western Europe

Vidette

Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025

1. Vidette Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

French:
Ce char Centaur, surnommé Vidette par son équipage, servit dans la 5e Independant Battery of the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group. Le 6 juin 1944, le char fut immobilisé par un tir de canon allemand après avoir débarqué sur Sword Beach avec les commandos. Dans les années 70, «Vidette» fut récupéré et restauré par l'armée britannique et placé sur la rive du Canal de Caen. En 2013, le char avait besoin d'une seconde restauration et fut installé dans le parc du musée puis rénové pour commémorer le 70e anniversaire du débarquement en juin 2014. Sa restauration n'aurait pas été possible sans le soutien inestimable financier et technique des associations, entreprises et particuliers suivants:

Airborne Assault Normandy Trust COBHAM • DYTECNA • Bruce and Robin Chapman • Pierre Briois • Hasler Company Royal Marines • Major Mark Bentinck RM • Patrick Roverud • Royal Marines Historical Society • Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund • Phillip Lambard • Tony Carr • Vincent Binet • Laurent Catelain • Bruno Leverrier

English:
This Centaur Tank,

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codenamed "Vidette" by its crew, served in the 5th Independent Battery of the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group. On 6th June 1944, the tank was immobilised by German gun fire after landing on Sword Beach with the Commando Forces. Vidette was recovered from a field on the coast in the 1970s, restored by the British Army and placed on the bank of the Caen Canal. In 2013, the tank was in need of a second restoration and was moved into the museum grounds and renovated to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in June 2014. Without the invaluable financial and technical assistance of the following associations, companies and individuals the restoration would not have been possible:

Airborne Assault Normandy Trust COBHAM • DYTECNA • Bruce and Robin Chapman • Pierre Briois • Hasler Company Royal Marines • Major Mark Bentinck RM • Patrick Roverud • Royal Marines Historical Society • Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund • Phillip Lambard • Tony Carr • Vincent Binet • Laurent Catelain • Bruno Leverrier

Erected by Memorial Pegasus and Museum. (Marker Number 34.)

Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is June 6, 1944.

Location. 49° 14.556′ N, 0° 16.305′ W. Memorial is in Ranville

The Vidette tank and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025

2. The Vidette tank and Marker

, Normandie (Normandy), in Calvados. It is at the intersection of Avenue Major John Howard and Normandie Route D514 on Avenue Major John Howard. The marker is located on the grounds of the Memorial Pegasus and Museum. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 1 Av Major John Howard, Ranville, Normandie 14860, France. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

Europe,

the European Union,

Atlantic Europe,

the Schengen Area,

Western Europe,

a coastal Mediterranean country,

and the Western World.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a French colony

and also the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Le Char Centaur MK IV / Centaur Tank MK IV (here, next to this marker); Le Général de Brigade James Hill, D.S.O** M.С. / Brigadier James Hill D.S.O** М.С. (a few steps from this marker); Obusier de 5.5 pouces (140 mm) / 5.5 Inch Gun (a few steps from this marker); Les Dents de Dragons / Dragons Teeth (a few steps from this marker); L'Obusier de 25 Livres (87.6 mm) / 25 Pounder Field Gun (within shouting distance of this marker); Lance Corporal Brian J. Mullen (Sapper), R.E. (within shouting distance of this marker); Canon de 40 mm Bofors / Bofors 40 mm Gun (within shouting distance of this marker); M3/M5 A1 Half Track (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ranville.

More about this memorial. The static displays and markers are located on the grounds of the Memorial Pegasus and Museum. There is an entrance fee to visit the museum and markers.

The view of the Vidette tank and Marker on the museum grounds image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025

3. The view of the Vidette tank and Marker on the museum grounds

Credits. This page was last revised on July 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 29, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 90 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 1, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.