Ranville in Calvados, Normandy, France — Western Europe

'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial

Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025

1. 'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial

Inscription.

'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial. . 25 PI D Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Lt Infty . RAF Halifax Tug 298 Sqn Wing Car Duder DSO DFC, No 1 Glider (667) . S/Sgt Wall work GPR . S/Sgt Ainsworth MM GPR . 249 Fd Coy RE . Cpl Watson . Spr Danson . Spr Ramsey . Spr Wheeler . Spr Yates . Lt Brotheridge . Sit Ollis . Cpl Bailey . Cpl Caine . Cpl Webb . L/Col Minns . L/Cpl Packwood . Pte Baalham . Pte Bates . Pte Bourlet . Pte Chamberlain . Pte EdwardsPte Gardner . Pte Gray . Pte Jackson 08 . Pte O'Donnell . Pte Parr . Pte Tilbury . Pte Watson . Pte White . Pte Windsor . D Coy HQ . OC Maj Howard . Wrls Op Cpl Tappenden, 2nd Panel 24 PI D Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Lt Infty . RAF Halifax Tug 298 Sqn WO Berry, No 2 Glider (661) . S/Sgt Boland GPR . S/Sgt Hobbs CPR . 249 Coy RE . Capt Neilson . Spr. Conley . Haslet Spr Haslett . Spr Lockhar . Spr Shorey . Lt Wood . Sjt Leather . Cpl Cowperthwaite . Cpl Godbold . Cpl. Ilsley . L/Cpl Drew . L/Cpl Roberts . Pte Chatfield . Pte Cheesley . Pte Clark 48 . Pte Clarke 33 . Pte Dancey . Pte Harman . Pte Leonard . Pte Lewis . Pte Malpas . Pte Musty . Pte Pepperall . Pte Radford . Pte Warmington . Pte Waters . Pte Weaver . L/Cpl Harris RAMC, 3rd Panel 14 PI B Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Lt Infty . RAF Halifax Tug 644 Sqn WO Herman, No 3 Glider (663) . S/Sgt Barkway GPR . S/Sgt Boyle GPR . 249 Coy RE . L/Cpl Waring . Spr Clarke . Spr Fleming . Spr Green . Spr PreeceLi Smith . Sit Harrison . Col Ariss . Cpl Evans . Cpl Higgs . L/Cpl Cohen . L/Cpl Greenhalgh . L/Cpl Madge . Pte Anton . Ple Basham . Pte Burns . Pte Crocker . Pte Golden . Pte Hook . Pte Keane . Pte Noble . Pte Slade . Pte Stewart . Pte Tibbs . Pte Turner . Pte Watts . Pte Wilson . Capt Jacob RAMC, 4th Panel 22 PI D Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Lt Infty . RAF Halifax Tug 644 Sqn FO Clapperton, No 4 Glider (662) . S/Sgt Lawrence GPR . S/Sgt Shorter GPR . 249 Coy RE . L/Sgt Brown . Spr Deighan . Spr Guest . Spr Paget . Spr Roberts . Lt Hooper . Sit Barwick . L/Sjt Rayner . Cpl Bateman . Cpl Goodsir . L/Cpl Ambrose . L/Col Hunt . Pte Allwood . Pte Clive . Pte Everett . Pte Gardner 08 . Pte Hammond . Pte Hedges . Pte Jeffries . Pie Johnson . Pte Lathbury . Pte St Clair . Pte Timms . Pte Waite . Pte Whitford . Pte Wilson . D Coy HQ . 21/c Capt Priday . L/Cpl Lambley, 5th Panel 23 P ID Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Lt Infly . RAF Halifax. Tug 298 Sqn WO Bain, No 5 Glider (660) . S/Sgt Pearson GPR . S/Sgt Guthrie GPR . 249 San RE . Cpl Straw . Spr Bradford . Spr Carter . Spr Field . Spr Wilkinson . Lt Sweeney . Sjt Gooch . Cpl Howard . Cpl Jennings . Col Murlon . L/Col Porter . L/Cpl Stacey . Pte Allen . Pte Bleach . Pte Bowden . Pte Bright . Pte Buller . Pte Clark 46 . Pte Galbraith . Pie Jackson 59 . Ple Read . Pte Roach . Pte Roberts . Pte Tibbett . Pte Willcocks . Pte Wixon . Pte Wood . LF Macdonald 7 PARA, 6th Panel 17 PI B Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Li Infly . RAF Halifax Tug 644 Sqn FO Archibald, No 6 Glider (664) . S/Sgt Howard GPR . S/Sgt Baacke GPR . 249 Son RE . Lt Bence . Spr Burns . Spr Larkin CH . Spr Larkin CW . Spr Maxted . Lt Fox . Sit Thornton . Cpl Burns . Cpl Lally . Cpl Reynolds . L/Cpl Loveday . Pte Annetts . Pte Clare . Pte Collett . Pte Hubbert . Pte Lawton . Pte O Shaughnessy . Pte Peverill . Pte Pope . Pte Rudge . Pte Storr . Pte Summersby . Pte Ward . Pte Whitbread . Pte Whitehouse . Ple Woods . Ple Wyatt . L/Cpl Lawson RAMC

25 PI D Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Lt Infty
RAF Halifax Tug 298 Sqn Wing Car Duder DSO DFC

No 1 Glider (667) • S/Sgt Wall work GPR • S/Sgt Ainsworth MM GPR • 249 Fd Coy RE • Cpl Watson • Spr Danson • Spr Ramsey • Spr Wheeler • Spr Yates • Lt Brotheridge • Sit Ollis • Cpl Bailey • Cpl Caine • Cpl Webb • L/Col Minns • L/Cpl Packwood • Pte Baalham • Pte Bates • Pte Bourlet • Pte Chamberlain • Pte EdwardsPte Gardner • Pte Gray • Pte Jackson 08 • Pte O'Donnell • Pte Parr • Pte Tilbury • Pte Watson • Pte White • Pte Windsor • D Coy HQ • OC Maj Howard • Wrls Op Cpl Tappenden

2nd Panel
24 PI D Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Lt Infty
RAF Halifax Tug 298 Sqn WO Berry

No 2 Glider (661) • S/Sgt Boland GPR • S/Sgt Hobbs CPR • 249 Coy RE • Capt Neilson • Spr. Conley • Haslet Spr Haslett • Spr Lockhar • Spr Shorey • Lt Wood • Sjt Leather • Cpl Cowperthwaite • Cpl Godbold • Cpl. Ilsley • L/Cpl Drew • L/Cpl Roberts • Pte Chatfield • Pte Cheesley • Pte Clark 48 • Pte Clarke 33 • Pte Dancey • Pte Harman • Pte Leonard • Pte Lewis • Pte Malpas • Pte

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Musty • Pte Pepperall • Pte Radford • Pte Warmington • Pte Waters • Pte Weaver • L/Cpl Harris RAMC

3rd Panel
14 PI B Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Lt Infty
RAF Halifax Tug 644 Sqn WO Herman

No 3 Glider (663) • S/Sgt Barkway GPR • S/Sgt Boyle GPR • 249 Coy RE • L/Cpl Waring • Spr Clarke • Spr Fleming • Spr Green • Spr PreeceLi Smith • Sit Harrison • Col Ariss • Cpl Evans • Cpl Higgs • L/Cpl Cohen • L/Cpl Greenhalgh • L/Cpl Madge • Pte Anton • Ple Basham • Pte Burns • Pte Crocker • Pte Golden • Pte Hook • Pte Keane • Pte Noble • Pte Slade • Pte Stewart • Pte Tibbs • Pte Turner • Pte Watts • Pte Wilson • Capt Jacob RAMC

4th Panel
22 PI D Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Lt Infty
RAF Halifax Tug 644 Sqn FO Clapperton

No 4 Glider (662) • S/Sgt Lawrence GPR • S/Sgt Shorter GPR • 249 Coy RE • L/Sgt Brown • Spr Deighan • Spr Guest • Spr Paget • Spr Roberts • Lt Hooper • Sit Barwick • L/Sjt Rayner • Cpl Bateman • Cpl Goodsir • L/Cpl Ambrose • L/Col Hunt • Pte Allwood • Pte Clive • Pte Everett • Pte Gardner 08 • Pte Hammond • Pte Hedges • Pte Jeffries

'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 1st Panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025

2. 'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 1st Panel

• Pie Johnson • Pte Lathbury • Pte St Clair • Pte Timms • Pte Waite • Pte Whitford • Pte Wilson • D Coy HQ • 21/c Capt Priday • L/Cpl Lambley

5th Panel
23 P ID Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Lt Infly
RAF Halifax. Tug 298 Sqn WO Bain

No 5 Glider (660) • S/Sgt Pearson GPR • S/Sgt Guthrie GPR • 249 San RE • Cpl Straw • Spr Bradford • Spr Carter • Spr Field • Spr Wilkinson • Lt Sweeney • Sjt Gooch • Cpl Howard • Cpl Jennings • Col Murlon • L/Col Porter • L/Cpl Stacey • Pte Allen • Pte Bleach • Pte Bowden • Pte Bright • Pte Buller • Pte Clark 46 • Pte Galbraith • Pie Jackson 59 • Ple Read • Pte Roach • Pte Roberts • Pte Tibbett • Pte Willcocks • Pte Wixon • Pte Wood • LF Macdonald 7 PARA

6th Panel
17 PI B Coy 2nd Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Li Infly
RAF Halifax Tug 644 Sqn FO Archibald

No 6 Glider (664) • S/Sgt Howard GPR • S/Sgt Baacke GPR • 249 Son RE • Lt Bence • Spr Burns • Spr Larkin CH • Spr Larkin CW • Spr Maxted • Lt Fox • Sit Thornton • Cpl Burns • Cpl Lally • Cpl Reynolds • L/Cpl Loveday • Pte Annetts • Pte Clare • Pte Collett • Pte Hubbert

'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 2nd Panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025

3. 'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 2nd Panel

• Pte Lawton • Pte O Shaughnessy • Pte Peverill • Pte Pope • Pte Rudge • Pte Storr • Pte Summersby • Pte Ward • Pte Whitbread • Pte Whitehouse • Ple Woods • Ple Wyatt • L/Cpl Lawson RAMC

Erected 2008 by The Veterans Charity.

Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II.

Location. 49° 14.576′ N, 0° 16.272′ W. Memorial is in Ranville, Normandie (Normandy), in Calvados. It is at the intersection of Av. Major John Howard and Normandie Route D514 on Av. 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:

'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 3rd Panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025

4. 'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 3rd Panel

The Veterans Charity (here, next to this marker); Ponts Bailey / The Bailey Bridge (a few steps from this marker); Ce pont Bailey / This Bailey bridge (a few steps from this marker); Les Ponts Bailey / The Bailey Bridges (a few steps from this marker); Horsa Glider (a few steps from this marker); Le Canon Anti Char de 17 Livres (76.2mm) / The 17 Pounder Anti-tank Gun (a few steps from this marker); L'Obusier de 25 Livres (87.6 mm) / 25 Pounder Field Gun (within shouting distance of this marker); Les Dents de Dragons / Dragons Teeth (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.

Also see . . . Capture of the Caen canal and Orne river bridges. Wikipedia

The capture of the Caen canal and Orne river bridges (wrongly known as Operation Deadstick [which in fact was a specialized glider exercise], and in official documents as Operation Coup de Main) was an operation by airborne forces of the British
Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025

5. 'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 4th Panel
Army that took place in the early hours of 6 June 1944 as part of the Normandy landings of the Second World War. The objective was to capture intact two road bridges in Normandy across the River Orne and the Caen canal, providing the only exit eastwards for British forces from their landing on Sword Beach.[3] Intelligence reports said both bridges were heavily defended by the Germans and wired for demolition. Once captured, the bridges had to be held against any counter-attack, until the assault force was relieved by commandos and other infantry advancing from the landing beach.

(Submitted on July 1, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 5th Panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025

6. 'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 5th Panel

'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 6th Panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025

7. 'Coup de Main' Glider Operation Memorial - 6th Panel

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 89 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on July 1, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.