View source for Operation Coup de Main

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Operation Coup de Main
| place             = [[Canal de Caen à la Mer|Caen canal]] and [[Orne|Orne river]]
| partof            = [[Operation Tonga]]
| date              = 6 June 1944
}}

'''Operation Coup de Main''' was the operation part of [[Operation Tonga]] conducted by British and Canadian airborne troops to seize and also destroy crossing points of the [[Canal de Caen à la Mer|Caen canal]] and [[Orne|Orne river]], on 6 June 1944.

== Background ==

== Prelude ==
[[AS.51 Horsa|Horsa gliders]] were to be used for the operation. 

=== 5 June ===

==== 2256 ====
At 2256 hours at [[RAF Tarrant Rushton]] the six Horsas carrying [[D Company, 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry|D company]] of the [[2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry|2nd Battalion]], [[Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry]] were lifted off<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ford |first=Ken |url=https://archive.org/details/overlordddayland0000ford/ |title=Overlord : the D-Day landings |last2=Zaloga |first2=Steven J |publisher=[[Oxford]] |year=2009 |pages=214}}</ref>. 

== Operation Coup de Main ==

=== 6 June 1944 ===

==== 0007 ====
[[James Harley Wallwork|Sergeant Jim Wallwork]] and his glider were the first ones to be released and began gliding towards the LZ. 

==== 0008 ====
Another glider a minute after Wallwork followed.

==== 0009 ====
Another minute passing a third glider cut loose

==== 0010 ====
At around 0010 another glider was let loose

==== 0011 ====
The final glider to be released is estimated to be at 0011. 

==== 0016 ====
The #1 Horsa glider under Wallwork, landed 60 yards from the Caen canal bridge. #2 and #3 then followed suit.

==== 0018 ====
The paratroopers from the gliders began their assault on the Caen canal bridge. They quickly moved in, and although one of the German sentries shouted<blockquote>Paratroopers!</blockquote>and another sentry fired a flair, the British quickly took the bridge<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ambrose |first=Stephen E |url=https://archive.org/details/pegasusbridgejun00ambr/ |title=Pegasus Bridge : June 6, 1944 |publisher= |year=1985 |isbn= |edition= |pages=88-93}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ford |first=Ken |url=https://archive.org/details/overlordddayland0000ford/ |title=Overlord : the D-Day landings |last2=Zaloga |first2=Steven J |publisher=[[Oxford]] |year=2009 |pages=214-218}}</ref>. 

==== 0026 ====
By 0026 D company had successfully captured and secured the Caen canal and Orne bridges<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ambrose |first=Stephen E |url=https://archive.org/details/pegasusbridgejun00ambr/ |title=Pegasus Bridge : June 6, 1944 |publisher= |year=1985 |isbn= |edition= |pages=88-105}}</ref>. 


== Aftermath ==

== Citations ==
<references />

== Bibliography ==
{{Cite book |last=Ambrose |first=Stephen E |url=https://archive.org/details/pegasusbridgejun00ambr/ |title=Pegasus Bridge : June 6, 1944 |publisher=[[Touchstone]] |year=1985 |isbn=0-671-67156-1 |edition=1st}}

{{Cite book |last=Ford |first=Ken |url=https://archive.org/details/overlordddayland0000ford/ |title=Overlord : the D-Day landings |last2=Zaloga |first2=Steven J |publisher=[[Oxford]] |year=2009 |pages=}}