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The
story of what happened at the cafe of M and Mme
Gondree at Pegasus Bridge is probably the best known
of all the happenings on the British beaches.
Alongside
the cafe is the bridge over the River Orne canal
and early on the morning of 6 June 1944 the gliders
of the Oxs and Bucks under the command of Major
John Howard landed on the opposite bank - the first
allied soldiers to arrive in Normandy. In celebration
M and Mme Gondree dug up 99 bottles of champagne
which they had hidden in the garden.
After
the war the cafe was adopted by veterans of the
airborne forces and became a centre of pigrimage.
Following the deaths of M and Mme Gondree the cafe
was taken over by their daughter Arlette.
Nearby
is the splendid Airborne Memorial Museum. In its
grounds is a replica Horsa glider and parts of the
original bridge. The many memorials and details
of the CWGC Cemetery at Ranville are given in our
battlefield guide book. |
