| Original caption: “The Glider Troops in Normandy – Glider troops beside the glider in which they were landed.” Glider troops of United Kingdom Royal Army 6th Airborne Division beside their Horsa, which crashed through a stone wall on landing near La Haute Ecarde on the western end of Drop Zone “N” between Ranville and Sallenelles. This Horsa has been pulled up short by the wall which runs parallel to Route D514. The 1st Special Service Brigade Headquarters was nearby. Of the 89 gliders which landed there the 1st night, 52 put down on the correct LZ; 20 were further away, and 17 were missing. Of the latter, 3 landed in the United Kingdom and 1 came down in the sea; but the personnel of all 4 were able to rejoin later. A 2nd wave of 250-odd gliders had landed on the evening of June 6. There were 4 separate strips in Drop Zone “N” prepared by 591st Parachute Squadron: A1 next and parallel to the road, with B2 beyond, both a 1,000 yards (914 meters) by 60 yards (54 meters), with C3 and D4 beyond. Drop Zone “N” later became a battleground when German forces counter-attacked on June 10, the gliders themselves being used as cover for the advance against Le Mariquet. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0475.jpg |
| Image Size | 833.70 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 3000 x 2284 |
| Photographer | George Laws |
| Photographer Title | No. 5 Army Film and Photo Section, Army Film and Photographic Unit |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | June 6, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | |
| Country | France |
| Archive | Imperial War Museum |
| Record Number | B5050 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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