Editing Sword Beach

{{Short description|Allied D-Day landing zone, 6 June 1944}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Sword
| partof            = [[Normandy landings]] and the [[Battle for Caen]]
| image             = Infantry waiting to move off 'Queen White' Beach.jpg
| image_size        = 300px
| caption           = British infantry waiting to move off Queen Beach, SWORD Area, while under heavy enemy fire, on the morning of 6 June
| date              = 6 June 1944
| place             = [[Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Calvados|Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer]] to [[Ouistreham]], [[France]]
| result            = Allied victory
| combatant1        = {{plainlist |
* {{flag|United Kingdom}}
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Provisional Government of the French Republic|France]]
* {{flagcountry|Polish government-in-exile}}
* {{flagdeco|Norway}} [[Nygaardsvold's Cabinet|Norway]]
}}
| combatant2        = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
| commander1        = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[John Crocker]]<br>{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Tom Rennie|Thomas Rennie]]<br>{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat|Lord Lovat]]
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Wilhelm Richter]]<br>{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Edgar Feuchtinger]]
| strength1         = 28,845<ref name="Ellis223">Ellis, p. 223</ref><br>223 tanks<ref>Fortin, p. 58</ref>
| strength2         = 8 infantry companies<br><small>(716th Infantry Division){{#tag:ref|Historian Stephen Badsey notes that the beach itself was only defended by two companies, no more than 300 men.<ref>Buckley (2006), p. 53</ref> The other companies were positioned further inland and at Ouistreham.<ref name="ford2425">Ford, pp. 24–25</ref>|group=nb}}</small><br>9,790<br>124–127 tanks<ref name="Deste124">D'Este, p. 124</ref><ref name="Ellis204">Ellis, p. 204</ref><br>40 assault guns<ref name="Deste124"/><br><small>(21st Panzer Division){{#tag:ref|[[Carlo D'Este]] and Ken Ford both note that various elements of the 21st Panzer Division's two infantry regiments, tank regiment, pioneer battalion and artillery regiment were all involved in the fighting on 6 June.<ref>D'Este, pp. 136, 139</ref><ref>Ford, pp. 71–72</ref> Niklas Zetterling notes that on 1 June that these formations amounted to 9,778 men.<ref>Zetterling, 21st Panzer Division</ref>|group=nb}}</small>
| casualties1       = 683 casualties{{#tag:ref|3rd Infantry Division recorded the loss of 683 men on D-Day; 8th Infantry Brigade recorded 367 casualties, 9th Infantry Brigade losses are not available for D-Day but are recorded as slight, 185th Infantry Brigade lost 232 men, and the divisional machine-gun battalion lost 36 men.<ref>Ford, p. 86</ref> The Commandos lost 18 men killed and 30 wounded on the beaches alone.<ref>Ford, p. 112</ref>|group=nb}}
| casualties2       = Unknown casualties<br>40<ref name="Ellis204"/>–54 tanks lost{{#tag:ref|20 tanks destroyed and "over 30 damaged"<ref>Ford, p. 80</ref>|group=nb}}<br>6 bombers destroyed<ref>Buckley (2006), p. 137</ref>
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Normandy}}
}}
[[Image:Allied Invasion Force.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|D-Day assault map of the [[Normandy]] region and the north-western coast of France. [[Utah Beach|Utah]] and Omaha are separated by the [[Douve River]], whose mouth is clear in the coastline notch (or "corner") of the map.]]

'''Sword''', commonly known as '''Sword Beach''', was the [[code name]] given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, [[Operation Neptune]], of [[Operation Overlord]]. The Allied invasion of German-occupied France commenced on 6 June 1944. Stretching {{convert|8|km|mi}} from [[Ouistreham]] to [[Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Calvados|Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer]], the beach proved to be the easternmost landing site of the invasion after the abortion of an attack on a sixth beach, code-named Band. Taking Sword was to be the responsibility of the [[British Army]] with sea transport, mine sweeping and a naval [[List of ships in Sword Bombardment Group|bombardment force]] provided by the British [[Royal Navy]] as well as elements from the [[Polish Navy|Polish]], [[Royal Norwegian Navy|Norwegian]] and other Allied navies.

Among the five beaches of the operation, Sword is the nearest to [[Caen]], about {{convert|15|km|mi}} from the goal of the 3rd Infantry Division. The landings were achieved with low Allied casualties but the advance from the beach was slowed by traffic congestion and resistance in defended areas behind the beach. Further progress towards Caen was halted by the only armoured counter-attack of the day, mounted by the [[21st Panzer Division]].

==Background==
{{Further|Invasion of Normandy|Operation Overlord}}

Following the [[Fall of France]], British Prime Minister [[Winston Churchill]] vowed to return to continental Europe and liberate the Nazi German-occupied nations.<ref>D'Este, p. 21</ref> The Western Allies agreed to open a [[Second Front]] in northern Europe in 1942 to aid the [[Soviet Union]]. However, with resources for an invasion lacking, it was postponed<ref>Bauer, 44</ref> but planning was undertaken that in the event of the German position in western Europe becoming critically weakened or the Soviet Union's situation becoming dire, forces could be landed in France; [[Operation Sledgehammer]]. At the same time, planning was underway for a major landing in occupied France during 1943; [[Operation Roundup (1942)|Operation Roundup]].<ref>Ellis, p. 7</ref> In August 1942, Canadian and British forces attempted an abortive landing—[[Operation Jubilee]]—at the Calais port-town of [[Dieppe, Seine-Maritime|Dieppe]]; the landing was designed to test the feasibility of a cross-channel invasion. The attack was poorly planned and ended in disaster; 4,963 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured.<ref>Granatstein, p. 11</ref> The decision to prosecute the [[Battle of the Atlantic]] to its closure, the lack of landing craft,<ref name="Ellis, p. 9">Ellis, p. 9</ref> [[Operation Husky|invading Sicily in July 1943]], and [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italy in September]] following the defeat of Axis forces in North Africa in May 1943<ref>Granatstein, pp. 13–14</ref> resulted in the postponement of any assault on northern Europe till 1944.<ref name="Ellis, p. 9"/>

Having succeeded in opening up an offensive front in southern Europe, gaining valuable experience in amphibious assaults and inland fighting, Allied planners returned to the plans to invade Northern France.<ref>Zuehlke, p. 25</ref> Now scheduled for 5 June 1944,<ref>Ellis, p. 140</ref> the beaches of [[Normandy]] were selected as landing sites, with a zone of operations extending from the [[Cotentin Peninsula]] to [[Caen]].<ref name=granat18/> Operation Overlord called for the British [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|Second Army]] to assault between the [[River Orne]] and [[Port en Bessin]], capture the German-occupied city of Caen and form a front line from [[Caumont-l'Éventé]] to the south-east of Caen, in order to acquire airfields and protect the left flank of the [[United States First Army]] while it captured [[Cherbourg]].<ref>Ellis, p. 78</ref> Possession of Caen and its surroundings would give Second Army a suitable staging area for a push south to capture the city of [[Falaise, Calvados|Falaise]], which could then be used as a pivot for an<!--'a left right to' - no idea what this is supposed to mean--> advance on [[Argentan]], the [[Touques River]] and then towards the [[Seine River]].<ref>Ellis, p. 81</ref> Overlord would constitute the largest amphibious operation in military history.<ref name=granat18>Granatstein, p. 18</ref> After delays, due to both logistical difficulties and poor weather, the D-Day of Overlord was moved to 6 June 1944. Eisenhower and [[Bernard Montgomery]], commander of [[21st Army Group]], aimed to capture Caen within the first day, and liberate [[Paris]] within 90 days.<ref name=granat18/>

==Plans==
===Allied===
The coastline of Normandy was divided into seventeen sectors, with codenames using a [[spelling alphabet]]—from Able, west of [[Omaha Beach|Omaha]], to Roger on the east flank of Sword. Eight further sectors were added when the invasion was extended to include [[Utah Beach|Utah]] on the Cotentin Peninsula. Sectors were further subdivided into beaches identified by the colours Green, Red, and White.{{sfn|Buckingham|2005|p=88}}

The Anglo-Canadian assault landings on D-Day were to be carried out by the [[British Second Army]], under Lieutenant General [[Miles Dempsey]]. The Second Army's [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]], commanded by Lieutenant General [[John Crocker]], was assigned to take Sword. To Major General Tom Rennie's [[3rd Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Infantry Division]] fell the task of assaulting the beaches and seizing the main British objective on D-Day, the historic Norman city of [[Caen]].<ref>Williams, p. 24</ref><ref name="Wilmot273">Wilmot, p. 273</ref> Attached to the 3rd Infantry Division for the assault were the [[27th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)|27th Independent Armoured Brigade]], the [[1st Special Service Brigade]] (which also contained [[Free French]] Commandos), [[No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando]] of the [[4th Special Service Brigade]], Royal Marine armoured support, additional artillery and engineers, and elements of the [[79th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|79th Armoured Division]].<ref>Ford, pp. 28–29, 42</ref> [[6th Beach Group]] was deployed to assist the troops and landing craft landing on Sword and to develop the beach maintenance area.

The 3rd Infantry Division was ordered to advance on Caen, {{convert|7.5|mi|km}} from Sword,<ref>Ford, p. 17</ref> with the [[3rd Canadian Infantry Division]] advancing on its western flank to secure [[Carpiquet]] airfield, {{convert|11|mi|km}} from Juno Beach, on the outskirts of the city.<ref name="Wilmot273"/> The 3rd Infantry was also ordered to relieve the elements of the [[6th Airborne Division]] that had secured the bridges over the River Orne and Caen Canal during [[Operation Tonga]], secure the high ground north of Caen, and "if possible Caen itself".<ref>Scarfe, p. 18</ref> The last point was further reinforced when I Corps' commander, General Crocker, instructed the division, prior to the invasion, that by nightfall the city must be either captured or "effectively masked" with troops based north-west of the city and [[Bénouville, Calvados|Bénouville]].<ref name="Wilmot, p. 274">Wilmot, p. 274</ref>

[[File:Queen sector Sword Beach.jpg|thumb|Queen beach, dated 16 August 1943]]

Sword stretched about {{convert|5|mi|km}} from [[Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Calvados|Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer]] in the west to the mouth of the River Orne in the east. It was further sub-divided into four landing sectors; from west to east these sectors were 'Oboe' (from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer to [[Luc-sur-Mer]]), 'Peter' (from Luc-sur-Mer to [[Lion-sur-Mer]]), 'Queen' (from Lion-sur-Mer to La Brèche d'Hermanville), and finally 'Roger' (from La Brèche d'Hermanville to [[Ouistreham]]). Each sector was also divided into multiple beaches.<ref name="Fordbeaches">Ford, pp. 36–37, 40–41</ref> The sector chosen for the assault was the {{convert|1.8|mi|km}} wide 'White' and 'Red' beaches of 'Queen' sector, as shallow reefs blocked access to the other sectors.<ref>Ford, p. 37</ref> Two infantry battalions supported by [[DD tank]]s would lead the assault followed up by the commandos and the rest of the division;<ref>Ford, pp. 37, 42</ref> the landing was due to start at 07:25 hours.<ref>Ford, p. 47</ref>

===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>

==Order of battle==
===3rd Division group===
[[File:Film still from the D-Day landings showing commandos aboard a landing craft on their approach to Sword Beach, 6 June 1944. BU1181.jpg|thumb|Film still from the D-Day landings showing commandos aboard a landing craft on their approach to Sword, 6 June 1944.]]
[[File:British 3rd Infantry Division2.svg|20px]] '''[[3rd Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Division]]'''<ref name = Joslen>Joslen, pp. 584–585.</ref> –  Major-General T. G. Rennie

'''[[8th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|8th Brigade]]''' (assault brigade)
* 1st Battalion [[Suffolk Regiment]]
* 2nd Battalion [[East Yorkshire Regiment]]
* 1st Battalion [[South Lancashire Regiment]]
'''[[9th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|9th Brigade]]'''
* 2nd Battalion [[Lincolnshire Regiment]]
* 1st Battalion [[King's Own Scottish Borderers]]
* 2nd Battalion [[Royal Ulster Rifles]]
'''[[185th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|185th Brigade]]'''
* 2nd Battalion [[Royal Warwickshire Regiment]]
* 1st Battalion [[Royal Norfolk Regiment]]
* 2nd Battalion [[King's Own Shropshire Light Infantry]]
'''Divisional Troops'''
* 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment [[Royal Armoured Corps]]
* HQ [[Royal Artillery]] (RA) 3rd Division
** 33rd and 76th Field Regiments, RA (self-propelled guns)
** 7th Field Regiment, RA
** 20th Anti-Tank Regiment, RA
** [[92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery|92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment]], RA
* 3rd Divisional [[Royal Engineers]] (RE)<ref name = Joslen/><ref name = Pakenham>Pakenham-Walsh, pp. 335–336.</ref> – CRE: Lieutenant Colonel R.W. Urquhart
** 17th Field Company, RE
** 245th Field Company, RE
** 253rd Field Company, RE
** 15th Field Park Company, RE
* 3rd Divisional Signals, [[Royal Corps of Signals]]
* 2nd Battalion [[Middlesex Regiment]] (machine guns)

'''Attached units and formations'''<ref name = Joslen/>

'''[[27th Armoured Brigade]]''' 
* [[13th/18th Royal Hussars]] ([[DD tank]]s)
* 1st [[East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry|East Riding Yeomanry]]
* [[Staffordshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps|Staffordshire Yeomanry]]
5th Assault Regiment, RE<ref>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 124.</ref>
* 77 & 79 Assault Squadrons, RE ([[Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers|AVREs]])
* 629 Field Squadron, RE
* 71 Field Company, RE
* [[263rd (Sussex) Field Company, Royal Engineers|263rd (Sussex) Field Company, RE]] (attached from [[XII Corps Troops, Royal Engineers]] as beach obstacle clearance parties)<ref>Morling, p.  221.</ref>
[[File:British Commandos Patch.svg|20px]] '''[[1st Special Service Brigade]]''' (landed on eastern extremity of Sword) – Brigadier Lord Lovat
* [[No. 3 Commando]] – Lieutenant Colonel [[Peter Young (historian)|Peter Young]]
* [[No. 4 Commando]] – Lieutenant Colonel Robert Dawson
** A force of 176 French Marine Commandos from [[No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando]], commanded by Commandant [[Philippe Kieffer]] landed with No. 4 Commando
* [[No. 6 Commando]] – Lieutenant Colonel Derek Mills-Roberts
* [[No. 45 (Royal Marine) Commando]] – Lieutenant Colonel Charles Ries
[[File:British Commandos Patch.svg|20px]] '''[[4th Special Service Brigade]]''' (landed between Juno and Sword)

'''101 Beach Sub-area'''<ref name = Joslen/><ref>Rogers p. 20</ref>
* [[Beach groups#No.5 Beach Group|No. 5 Beach Group]] (Queen sector)
**[[5th Battalion, King's Regiment (Liverpool)|5th Battalion]] [[King's Regiment (Liverpool)]]
* 'M' AA Assault Group (from [[80th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom)|80th Anti-Aircraft Brigade]])<ref name = OO80>80 AA Bde Operation Order No 1, 20 May 1944, in 80 AA Bde War Diary 1944, [[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives (TNA), Kew]], file WO 171/1085.</ref><ref name = Routledge>Routledge, pp. 305–307.</ref><ref name = RA39>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050307140427/http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/nweuro/page2.html 3 Division at Royal Artillery 1939–45.]</ref>
** RHQ [[73rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery|73rd Light AA Rgt]], RA – Lieutenant-Colonel J.A. Armstrong
*** 218 LAA Bty and 296 LAA Bty less 2 Troops
** G & H Troops 322 LAA Bty, [[93rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery|93rd LAA Rgt]], RA
** 322 HAA Bty and C Troop 323 HAA Bty, 103rd Heavy AA Rgt, RA
** B Troop [[474th Searchlight Battery, Royal Artillery|474 Independent Searchlight Bty]], RA
** 16 Fire Control Post, RA
** 76 & 103 Coast Observation Detachments, RA
** One Platoon 112 Company [[Royal Pioneer Corps|Pioneer Corps]] (smoke generators)
** 73 LAA Rgt Workshop, [[Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers]] (REME)
* 'N' AA Assault Group (from 80th AA Bde)<ref name = OO80/><ref name = Routledge/>
** RHQ [[103rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery|103rd HAA Rgt]], RA – Lieutenant-Colonel H.E. Johnston (AA Defence Commander, 101 BSA)
*** D Troop 323 HAA Bty and 324 HAA Bty
** 220 LAA Bty, 73rd LAA Rgt, RA
**  I Troop 322 LAA Bty, 93rd LAA Rgt, RA
** C Troop 474 S/L Bty, RA
** 160 AA Operations Room, RA
** One Platoon 112 Company, Pioneer Corps
** 103 HAA Rgt Workshop, REME
* 18th GHQ Troops Engineers<ref name = Joslen/><ref name = Pakenham/> – CRE: Lieutenant-Colonel J.H. Boyd
** 84th Field Company, RE
** 91st Field Company, RE
** 8th & 9th Stores Sections, RE
** 50th Mechanical Equipment Section, RE
** 205th Works Section, RE
** 654th & 722nd Artisan Works Companies, RE
** Two Advanced Park Sections of 176th Workshop and Park Company, RE
** 49th Bomb Disposal Section, RE
** 999th & 1028th Port Operating Companies, RE
** 940 Inland Water Transport Company, RE
** Five Companies, Pioneer Corps
* [[Beach groups#No.6 Beach Group|No. 6 Beach Group]] (in reserve)
** 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion, [[Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry]]

==D-Day at Sword==
===British assault===
[[File:Landing on Queen Red Beach, Sword Area.jpg|thumb|[[Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat|Lord Lovat]], on the right of the column, wades through the water at Sword. The figure in the foreground is Piper [[Bill Millin]].]]

The assault on Sword began at about 03:00 with the aerial and naval bombardment of German coastal defences and artillery sites. The landing was to be concentrated on Queen Red and Queen White in front of [[Hermanville-sur-Mer]], other approaches having proven impassable due to shoals. At 07:25, the first units set off for the beach. These were the amphibious DD tanks of the 13th/18th Hussars; they were followed closely by the 8th Infantry Brigade, and by Royal Engineers in [[Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers|AVREs]] and the various odd-looking, specialized vehicles that had been nicknamed '[[Hobart's funnies]]'. The engineers set to work clearing mines and obstacles under a steady hail of small arms fire and artillery fire from Périers Ridge just south of Hermanville.<ref>Thompson, pp. 133–139</ref><ref name = "Ford and Gerrard p.13">Ford and Gerrard, p. 13.</ref> Resistance on the beach was initially fairly strong, with wrecked vehicles piling up and casualties mounting; however, with most of their armoured vehicles successfully landed, the British were able to quickly secure the immediate area. By 09:30 the engineers had cleared seven of the eight exits from the beach, allowing the inland advance to begin.<ref>Thompson, p. 139</ref>

British and French commandos encountered tough resistance in the seaside town of [[Ouistreham]], on Sword's eastern extremity, but were able to clear it of enemy strongpoints. By 13:00, the 1st Special Service Brigade had reached the bridges on the [[River Orne]] and the [[Canal de Caen à la Mer|Caen Canal]], linking up with paratroops of the 6th Airborne Division, who were holding the bridges, after earlier disabling German gun batteries in a fierce night-time battle at [[Merville Gun Battery|Merville]].<ref name = "Ford and Gerrard p.13"/>

On the western flank of Sword, commandos of the 4th Special Service Brigade advanced to secure [[Lion-sur-Mer]] and meet Canadian forces at [[Juno Beach]] but encountered strong resistance and were pinned down by heavy fire for several hours. Around the main landing area, the men of the 3rd Infantry Division had secured Hermanville-sur-Mer by 10:00, but were finding tougher going as they slowly fought their way up Périers Ridge and moved inland. Congestion as more men, vehicles and equipment arrived on the beach further complicated matters. It was gradually becoming apparent that the British would not be able to meet the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, to protect the right flank in an immediate assault on Caen. Troops of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry continued down the Hermanville-Caen road, reaching [[Biéville-Beuville]], close to Caen, but were supported by only a few self-propelled guns, their flanks exposed. During the afternoon, the 21st Panzer Division, based around Caen, launched the only major German counterattack of D-Day.<ref name = "Ford and Gerrard p.13"/><ref>Thompson, pp. 139–140</ref>

===German counter-attacks===
[[File:D-day - British Forces during the Invasion of Normandy 6 June 1944 B5079.jpg|thumb|German prisoners being marched along Queen beach, Sword]]

The 21st Panzer Division, with its formidable inventory of some 127 Panzer IV tanks,<ref>Mitcham, p. 18.</ref> was intended for use as a rapid response force. However, on the morning of June 6, its commander ''Generalmajor'' [[Edgar Feuchtinger]] was in Paris, and Rommel was in Germany. The division was unable to finalize orders and preparations for a counterattack until late in the day. At about 17:00, two thrusts were launched, east and west of the River Orne. The eastern attack, carried out by II Battalion and supporting units, under Major [[Hans von Luck]], was intended to destroy the 6th Airborne Division's Orne bridgehead but was soon stopped in its tracks by intense Allied air attacks and naval gunfire.<ref>Von Luck, pp. 178–179</ref> To the west, a larger armoured group initially fared somewhat better. Taking advantage of the gap between the Sword and Juno sectors, elements of the 192nd [[Panzergrenadier]] Regiment were able to reach the coast at [[Lion-sur-Mer]] by 20:00. With few flak units and very little support from the ''[[Luftwaffe]]'', they too suffered losses to Allied aircraft. When 250 gliders of the British [[6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)|6th Airlanding Brigade]] overflew their positions, on their way to reinforce the Orne bridgehead in [[Operation Mallard]], the Germans, believing they were about to be cut off, retired.<ref name = "Ford and Gerrard p.13"/><ref>Thompson, p. 151</ref>

The ''Luftwaffe'' was particularly weak in this sector but tried to support the attack with a few of the rare daylight appearances it made on D-Day. ''[[Generalfeldmarschall]]'' [[Hugo Sperrle]], commanding ''[[Luftflotte 3]]'' (Air Fleet 3) was responsible for the air defence of Normandy and ordered all available forces to attack the beachhead. [[Junkers Ju 88]]s from ''[[Kampfgeschwader 54]]'' (KG 54: Bomber Wing 54) attacked British positions with [[Butterfly Bomb]]s. III./KG 54 struck [[Lion-sur-Mer]] while I./KG 54 bombed shipping at the mouth of the [[Orne (river)|Orne]]. [[No. 145 Wing RAF|145 Wing]] intercepted and shot down five German aircraft.<ref>Weal 2000, p. 81.</ref><ref>de Zeng 2007, pp. 183, 190.</ref>

==Aftermath==
===Analysis===
[[File:PzIV.Saumur.000a5s6s.jpg|thumb|The [[Panzer IV]] was the main battle tank of the [[21st Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|German 21st Panzer Division]]. The division had 127 Panzer IVs on 6 June.<ref name="Deste124"/>]]

By the end of D-Day, 28,845 men of I Corps had come ashore across Sword. The British Official Historian, [[Lionel Ellis|L. F. Ellis]], wrote that "in spite of the [[Atlantic Wall]] over 156,000 men had been landed in France on the first day of the campaign."<ref name="Ellis223"/> British losses in the Sword area amounted to 683 men.<ref>Ford, pp. 86, 112</ref> The British and Canadians were able to link up and resume the drive on Caen the following day, but three days into the invasion, the advance was halted.<ref>Ford, pp. 90, 96</ref><ref>Keegan, p. 143.</ref> On 7 June, [[Operation Perch]], a [[pincer attack]] by the [[51st (Highland) Division|51st (Highland) Infantry Division]] and [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)|XXX Corps]] was launched to encircle Caen from the east and west flanks.<ref name=ellis250>Ellis, p. 250</ref> The [[21st Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|21st Panzer Division]] halted the 51st Division advance and the XXX Corps attack resulted in the [[Battle of Villers-Bocage]] and the withdrawal of the leading elements of the [[7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|7th Armoured Division]] soon after.<ref name=VdV139>Van der Vat, p. 139</ref><ref>Taylor, p. 76</ref> The next offensive, codenamed [[Operation Epsom]], was launched by [[VIII Corps (United Kingdom)|VIII Corps]] on 26 June, to envelope Caen from the west.<ref>Clark, pp. 32–33</ref><ref>Clark, pp. 31–32</ref> German forces managed to contain the offensive but to do so, they were obliged to commit all their available strength.<ref>Hart, p. 108</ref>

On 27 June, the 3rd Infantry Division and its supporting tanks launched Operation ''Mitten''. The objective was to seize two German-occupied [[châteaux]], la Londe and le Landel. The initial evening assault was repulsed but the following morning, attacks gained the objectives and destroyed several German tanks. Operation ''Mitten'' cost at least three British tanks and 268 men.<ref name="Scarfe6869"/><ref name="Fortin30">Fortin, p. 30</ref><ref name="Copp113">Copp (2004), p. 113</ref> In 2003 Copp wrote that fighting for these châteaux made the area the "bloodiest square mile in Normandy".<ref name="Copp113"/> [[Norman Scarfe]] wrote in 1947 that, had the operation gone more smoothly, further elements of the division and elements of the 3rd Canadian Division would have launched Operation Aberlour, an ambitious plan to capture several villages north of Caen but the attack was cancelled by Lieutenant-General John Crocker.<ref name="Scarfe6869">Scarfe, pp. 68–69</ref><ref name="Fortin30"/> Several days later I Corps launched a new offensive, codenamed [[Operation Charnwood]], to gain possession of Caen.<ref name="Williams131"/> In a frontal assault, the northern half of the city was captured,<ref name="Williams131">Williams, p. 131</ref> but German forces retained possession of the city south of the River Orne. The southern half of Caen was only captured 12 days later by Canadian infantry during [[Operation Atlantic]].<ref>Bercuson, p. 222</ref><ref>Trew, p. 102</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of ships in Sword Bombardment Group]]

==Notes==
;Footnotes
{{Reflist|2|group=nb}}
;Citations
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|first=Eddy|last=Bauer|title=Spelet vid konferensbordet|publisher=Bokorama|year=1983 |isbn=91-7024-017-5}}
* {{cite book|first=Antony|last=Beevor|author-link=Antony Beevor|title=D-Day: The Battle for Normandy |publisher=Viking|year=2009|isbn=978-0-670-88703-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Buckingham|first=William F.|title=D-Day The First 72 Hours|publisher=Tempus Publishing|year=2005|isbn=0-7524-2842-X}}
* {{cite book|first=John|last=Buckley|title=British Armour in the Normandy Campaign 1944 |location=Abingdon|publisher=Taylor & Francis|year=2006|orig-year=2004|isbn=0-415-40773-7 |oclc=154699922}}
* {{cite book|first=Carlo|last=D'Este|author-link=Carlo D'Este|title=Decision in Normandy: The Real Story of Montgomery and the Allied Campaign|location=London|publisher=Penguin Books|year=2004 |orig-year=1983|isbn=0-14-101761-9|oclc=44772546}}
* {{Cite book|first=T.|last=Copp|author-link=Terry Copp|title=Fields of Fire: The Canadians in Normandy |url=https://archive.org/details/fieldsoffirecana0000copp|url-access=registration|location=Toronto|publisher=University of Toronto Press|year=2004|orig-year=2003|isbn=0-8020-3780-1 |oclc=56329119}}
* {{cite book|first1=Major L. F.|last1=Ellis|author-link1=Lionel Ellis|first2=Captain G. R. G. |last2=Allen [[Royal Navy|R.N.]] |first3=Lieutenant-Colonel A. E.|last3=Warhurst|first4=Air Chief-Marshal Sir James|last4=Robb|editor-last=Butler|editor-first=J. R. M.|editor-link=James Ramsay Montagu Butler|series=History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series|title=Victory in the West: The Battle of Normandy|volume=I|publisher=[[HMSO]] |edition=Naval & Military Press 2004 |year=1962|isbn=1-84574-058-0|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|first=Ken|last=Ford|title=Sword Beach|series=Battle Zone Normandy|publisher=Sutton Publishing|year=2004|isbn=0-7509-3019-5}}
* {{cite book|first=Ken|last=Ford|author2=Howard Gerrard|title=D-Day 1944: Sword Beach & British Airborne Landings|volume=3|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=2002|isbn=0-8117-3384-X}}
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* {{cite book|last=Harclerode|first=Peter|title=Go To It! The Illustrated History of the 6th Airborne Division|publisher=Caxton Editions|year=2002|isbn=1-84067-136-X}}
* {{Joslen-OOB}}
* Col L.F. Morling, ''Sussex Sappers: A History of the Sussex Volunteer and Territorial Army Royal Engineer Units from 1890 to 1967'', Seaford: 208th Field Co, RE/Christians–W.J. Offord, 1972.
* Maj-Gen R.P. Pakenham-Walsh, ''History of the Corps of Royal Engineers'', Vol IX, ''1938–1948'', Chatham: Institution of Royal Engineers, 1958.
* {{cite book|last1=Rogers|first1=J & D|title=D-Day Beach Force. The Men Who Turned Chaos into Order |date=2012|publisher=The History Press|location=Stroud|isbn=9780752463308|page=20|edition=1}}
* Brig N.W. Routledge, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55'', London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994, {{ISBN|1-85753-099-3}}
* {{cite book|first=Norman|last=Scarfe|title=Assault Division: A History of the 3rd Division from the Invasion of Normandy to the Surrender of Germany|location=Stroud, Gloucestershire |publisher=Spellmount|year=2006|orig-year=1947|isbn=1-86227-338-3}}
* Stewart, Andrew. '' Caen Controversy: The Battle for Sword Beach 1944'' (2014) [http://www.miwsr.com/2016-108.aspx online review]
* Graham E. Watson & Richard A. Rinaldi, ''The Corps of Royal Engineers: Organization and Units 1889–2018'', Tiger Lily Books, 2018, {{ISBN|978-171790180-4}}.
* {{cite book|last=Weal|first=J.|title=Ju 88 Kampfgeschwader on the Western Front|year=2000 |publisher=Osprey|location=Oxford|isbn=1-84176-020-X}}
* {{cite book|first=Andrew|last=Williams|title=D-Day to Berlin|location=London|publisher=[[Hodder & Stoughton]]|year=2004|isbn=0-340-83397-1|oclc=60416729|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/ddaytoberlin0000will}}
* {{cite book|first=Chester|last=Wilmot|author-link=Chester Wilmot|title=The Struggle For Europe |location=Ware, Hertfordshire|publisher=Wordsworth Editions|year=1997|orig-year=1952|isbn=1-85326-677-9 |oclc=39697844}}
* {{cite book|last=Zaloga|first=Steven J.|author2=Hugh Johnson|title=D-Day Fortifications in Normandy |publisher=Osprey|year= 2005|isbn=1-84176-876-6}}
* {{cite book|first=Hans|last=Von Luck|author-link=Hans von Luck|title=Panzer Commander|location=New York|publisher=Dell|year=1989|isbn=0-440-20802-5}}
* {{cite book|first=R.W.|last=Thompson|title=D-Day, Spearhead of Invasion|location=New York |publisher=Ballantine|year=1968}}
* {{cite book|last1=Zeng|first1=H. L. de|last2=Stankey|first2=D. G|last3=Creek|first3=E. J. |title=Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933–1945: A Reference Source|volume=I|publisher=Ian Allan Publishing|location=Birmingham|year=2007|isbn=978-1-85780-279-5}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|last=Fisher|first=Stephen|title=Sword Beach: The Untold Story of D-Day's Forgotten Battle|publisher=[[Transworld (publisher)|Transworld]]|year=2024|isbn=978-1787636712}}

==External links==
* [https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/d-day/beaches/sword-beach D-Day-Overlord Sword Beach]
* [https://www.dday-overlord.com/mediatheque/photos/sword-beach Photos de Sword Beach]
* [http://www.dday.co.uk/page30.html http://www.dday.co.uk/page30.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130114010029/http://www.dday.co.uk/page30.html |date=14 January 2013 }}
* [http://www.mod.uk/aboutus/dday60/sword.htm Sword Beach] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106003929/http://www.mod.uk/aboutus/dday60/sword.htm |date=6 November 2012 }} United Kingdom [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]
* [http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/sword/en_index.php D-Day : Etat des Lieux : Sword Beach]

{{World War II}}
{{Battle of Normandy}}

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[[Category:Operation Overlord]]
[[Category:Normandy landings]]
[[Category:Battle for Caen]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving Germany]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving France]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Beaches of Metropolitan France]]
[[Category:Landforms of Normandy]]
[[Category:Beaches in history]]
[[Category:Military history of Calvados (department)]]