Sword Beach: 3rd British Infantry Division's Battle for the Normandy Beachhead: 6 June-10 June 1944 (Battleground Europe) (Battleground Europe. Normandy)

as The Left Most Inland Flank Of The D-day Landings, Sword Beach Was Thought Most Likely To Receive The First German Counterattacks. The British Troops Selected For The Assault Had The Tasks Of Securing The Beach And Advancing On The Heavily Defended Medieval Town Of Caen. The Troops Also Were Determined To Link Up With British Paratroopers And Glider Units Who Had Landed The Night Before On Special Missions And Were Not Equipped To Withstand An Armored Counterattack Alone. backed Up By An Impressive Array Of Modified Armored Vehicles, The Veteran 3rd Division, Spearheaded By No. 4 Army Commando And 41 Royal Marine Commando, Stormed Ashore And Secured Its Objectives With Moderate Casualties. No. 4 Commando Also Reached The Airborne Troops Before They Could Be Overwhelmed By German Armor. However, The British Failed To Secure The Key Town Of Caen On Schedule. the Action On This Normandy Beach Is Now Covered In All The Detail That Has Become Standard With The Battleground Europe Series. N this addition to the Battleground World War Two series, Major (retired) Tim Kilvert-Jones focuses on the action by 3rd British Infantry Division and attached units at Sword Beach from D-Day 6th June 1944 to the fall of Caen in July 1944. Following the structure of his previous work in the series Omaha Beach, the author draws on both memoirs and extensive interviews with veterans to create a dynamic guide to book this fascinating story of undaunted courage, and dashed hopes. Caen was the pivotal main objective for General Montgomery's invasion plan.The 3rd Division's failure to capture the city on 6th June lead to major recriminations during and after the war as former allied commanders and other vested interests argued the causes of failure. The truth is as always simpler than the arguments and recriminations. While still struggling to establish a secure beachhead on D-Day. The division was attached by powerful elements of 21st Panzer division. This was the only effective armoured counterattack mounted by the Germans during the invasion phase. The result was a devastating defeat for the Panzers under the combined arms guns of the 3rd Division, but vital hours had been lost and the Germans were given the time to defend the City. Sword Beach is 3rd Division's unique D-Day story and analyses subsequent events up to 10th July in a clear, easy to follow style that makes it a vital book for armchair strategists, military students and tourists visiting the historic Normandy coast.--Provided by publisher This WWII guidebook brings the momentous drama of D-Day to life with an in-depth study of the fighting on Normandy's Sword Beach.As the left most inland flank of the Normandy landings, Sword Beach was thought most likely to receive the first German counterattacks. British troops had the tasks of securing the beach and advancing on the heavily defended medieval town of Caen. The troops were determined to link up with British paratroopers and glider units who had landed the night before on special missions.Backed up by an impressive array of modified armored vehicles, the veteran 3rd Division, spearheaded by No. 4 Army Commando and forty-one Royal Marine Commando, stormed ashore and secured its objectives with moderate casualties. No. 4 Commando also reached the airborne troops before they could be overwhelmed by German armor. However, the British failed to secure the key town of Caen on schedule.This volume of the Battleground Europe series covers all the action on this Normandy beach in vivid detail while also providing essential context to highlight its broader significance. As the left most inland flank of the D-Day landings, Sword Beach was thought most likely to receive the first German counterattacks. The British troops selected for the assault had the tasks of securing the beach and advancing on the heavily defended medieval town of Caen. The troops also were determined to link up with British paratroopers and glider units who had landed the night before on special missions and were not equipped to withstand an armored counterattack alone. Backed up by an impressive array of modified armored vehicles, the veteran 3rd Division, spearheaded by No. 4 Army Commando and 41 Royal Marine Commando, stormed ashore and secured its objectives with moderate casualties. No. 4 Commando also reached the airborne troops before they could be overwhelmed by German armor. However, the British failed to secure the key town of Caen on schedule. The action on this Normandy beach is now covered in all the detail that has become standard with the Battleground Europe series. Machine generated contents note: Chapter 1: GERMANY'S SECOND FRONT Chapter 2: THE ALLIES PREPARE Chapter 3: THE INVASION Chapter 4: THE ASSAULT: LA BRECHE D'HERMANVILLE Stand A Chapter 5: HILLMAN AND PERIERS RIDGE Stands B & C Chapter 6: FALTERING ON THE ROAD TO CAEN Chapter 7: EPILOGUE: AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN Order of Battle: 3rd British Infantry Division Lt Colonel Welby-Everard's pre invasion address Some recommended museums/Where to stay.