Editing Sword Beach (section)

===German===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-493-3363-13, Frankreich, Strandbefestigungen.jpg|thumb|An example of German beach defences]]

On 23 March 1942, Führer Directive Number 40 called for the official creation of the [[Atlantic Wall]]—a line of concrete gun emplacements, machine-gun nests, minefields and beach obstacles stretching along the French coast. Fortifications were initially concentrated around ports, but were extended into other areas beginning in late 1943.<ref>Kaufmann & Kaufmann, pp. 196–197</ref> While the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German Army]] had seen its strength and morale heavily depleted by campaigns in Russia, North Africa and Italy, it remained a powerful fighting force.<ref name=Granat19>Granatstein, p. 19</ref> Most of the German divisions along the French coast in late 1943, however, were either formations of new recruits or battered veteran units still resting and rebuilding after service on the Eastern Front; altogether some 856,000 soldiers were stationed in France, predominantly along the Channel coast.<ref name=Granat19/> They were supported by an additional 60,000 ''Hilfswillige'' (Russian and Polish conscripts to the German army).<ref>Wieviorka, p. 157</ref>

Under the command of [[Field Marshal (Germany)|Field Marshals]] [[Erwin Rommel]] and [[Gerd von Rundstedt]], the defences of the [[Atlantic Wall]] were heavily upgraded; in the first six months of 1944, 1.2 million tons of steel and 17.3 million cubic yards of concrete were laid.<ref name=saunders35>Saunders, p. 35</ref> The coast of northern France was also studded with four million antitank and anti-personnel mines, and 500,000 beach obstacles.<ref name=saunders35/>

On and behind Sword, twenty strongpoints, including several artillery batteries, were constructed.<ref name="ford2425"/> The coastline was littered with wooden stakes, mines, [[Czech hedgehog|hedgehogs]], and [[Dragon's teeth (fortification)|Dragon's teeth]], while along the top of the beach, the Germans had constructed a network of trenches, gun pits, mortar pits, and machine gun nests. Barbed wire surrounded these positions and lined the beach.<ref>Ford, pp. 32, 49</ref><ref name="Notes">Notes on Operations of 21 Army Group, p. 3</ref> The beachfront itself, being generally flat and exposed, was guarded by a few scattered bunkers, with machine gun and sniper posts in some of the holiday homes and tourist facilities lining the shore. To reinforce the defences, six strongpoints had been constructed, each with at least eight [[5 cm Pak 38]] 50&nbsp;mm anti-tank guns, four 75&nbsp;mm guns, and one 88&nbsp;mm gun. One of the strongpoints (codenamed ''Cod'' by the British), faced directly on to Queen sector. Exits from the beaches had been blocked with various obstacles,<ref name="ford2425"/><ref name="Notes"/> and behind the beaches, six artillery batteries had been positioned, three of which were based within three strongpoints; these latter batteries had four 100&nbsp;mm guns and up to ten 155mm guns.<ref name="ford2425"/> In addition, positioned east of the River Orne was the [[Merville Gun Battery]], containing four Czechoslovakian 100&nbsp;mm howitzers which were within range of Sword and the invasion fleet.<ref>Buckingham, p. 145</ref><ref>Harclerode, p. 319</ref> Between Cherbourg and the [[Seine River|River Seine]] there were a total of 32 batteries capable of firing on to the five invasion beaches; half of them were positioned in casemates of {{convert|6|ft|m|adj=on}} reinforced concrete.<ref name="Notes"/>

[[File:Ouistreham.jpg|thumb|German defence at Ouistreham; the turret is from a [[Renault FT-17]] tank]]

Since the spring of 1942, ''[[Generalleutnant]]'' Wilhelm Richter's 8,000-man strong [[716th Static Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|716th Infantry Division]] had been positioned to defend the [[Calvados (department)|Calvados]] coast of Normandy.<ref name = "Ford and Gerrard p.16">Ford and Gerrard, p. 16.</ref> In March 1942, the [[352nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|352nd Infantry Division]] assumed control of the western Calvados coast, leaving the 716th in position north of Caen covering an 8-mile (13&nbsp;km) stretch of coastline. The division comprised four regular infantry battalions, two [[Ost battalion]]s, and artillery units.<ref name="Copp37">Copp, p. 37</ref> Four infantry companies were spread along Sword, with two positioned facing Queen sector—another four were positioned inland behind the beach.<ref name="ford2425"/> Further inland, ''Generalleutnant'''s [[Edgar Feuchtinger]]'s 16,297 strong 21st Panzer Division had been positioned on both sides of the River Orne around Caen to provide an immediate counter-attack force should a landing take place.<ref>Beevor, p. 29</ref><ref>Ford, p. 23</ref><ref name="Deste117">D’Este, p. 117</ref> In May 1944, two ''Panzergrenadier'' battalions and an antitank battalion from the 21st Panzer Division were placed under Richter's command;<ref name="Copp37">Copp, p. 37</ref> this deployment eliminated 21st Panzer as a mobile reserve.<ref name="Deste117"/> One of these battalions, along with the division's anti-tank guns and several mobile 155&nbsp;mm guns, was positioned on Périers Ridge, which rose to about {{convert|50|m|ft}} above sea level, {{convert|3|mi|km}} south of Sword.<ref name="Wilmot, p. 274"/><ref>Buckley, p. 20</ref><ref>Ford, p. 65</ref>