大象传媒

In a recent group discussion the question was raised: 'Why was the field gun at the Caen Canal bridge sited at the south-east corner to fire eastwards and southwards rather than on the north side facing up the canal and towards the sea?)
While looking through my extensive photo file I came across a photograph, sent to me some while ago by my old comrade Wally Parr, taken in OCTOBER 1939 and showing a group of six men from the 239th French Infantry Regiment (complete with long-handled spades), digging defensive trenches at the Caen Canal bridge - 'Pegasus Bridge' - with them is August Niepeeran the bridge keeper (who still held the same post on D-Day).
It has always been assumed that the gun pit - still on public display - was built by the occupying Germans shortly before D-Day as part of their coastal defences but it now seems obvious that it was built by the French Army with the gun facing eastwards and southwards - the direction from which a German attack might be expected - in the early days of WW11.

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