Bénouville in Calvados, Normandy, France — Western Europe
L/Cpl Fred Greenhalgh
Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025
1. L/Cpl Fred Greenhalgh Marker
Dedicated to the memory of L/Cpl Fred Greenhalgh who was the first Allied serviceman to die on D-Day. A member of the 2nd Battalion The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, he was drowned near this spot having been thrown from No. 3 glider as it crash landed nearby at about 0018 hours 6 June 1944, during the coup de main force operation to capture Pegasus and Horsa bridges.
Dédié à la mémoire du L/Cpl Fred Greenhalgh, premier militaire allié à mourir le Jour J. Membre du 2ᵉ bataillon The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, il s’est noyé près de cet endroit après avoir été éjecté du planeur n°3 alors qu’il s’écrasait à proximité vers 0 h 18 le 6 juin 1944, lors de l’opération de coup de main pour capturer les ponts Pégasus et Horsa.
Erected 2024 by The Veterans Charity.
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° 14.479′ N, 0° 16.409′ W. Memorial is in Bénouville, Normandie (Normandy), in Calvados. It is on Avenue du Commandant Kieffer (Route D514) just west of Av. Major John
this page online
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: Lieutenant R.A. Smith (a few steps from this marker); Major John Howard (within shouting distance of this marker); Major R. J. Howard (within shouting distance of this marker); Lieutenant D.J. Wood (within shouting distance of this marker); «L’arbre de la liberté» / «The Liberty Tree» (within shouting distance of this marker); Les rives de l’Orne / The Banks of the Orne (within shouting distance of this marker); Bénouville - Pegasus Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); Pegasus Bridge Site (about 90 meters away,
Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025
2. L/Cpl Fred Greenhalgh Marker
Also see . . . Oxfordshire D-Day Stories: L/Cpl. Fred Greenhalgh – the first casualty of D-Day?. Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum
Sadly, out of the three gliders to land in LZ X, glider 3 was the one which ended up in a large pond in the marshy field, with several men trapped in the wreckage of the shattered glider. Accounts vary as to whether the unconscious L/Cpl Greenhalgh was trapped in the wreckage or was thrown out of the disintegrating glider, but even more sadly, L/Cpl Greenhalgh was the only one killed on landing - drowned in the pond.(Submitted on July 3, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025
3. The view of the L/Cpl Fred Greenhalgh Marker along the pathway (left side)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 3, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 2, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 126 times since then and 56 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 3, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
