Ranville
Gonneville-en-Auge
9th Battalion Monument
In the night of 5-6 June 1944, the 9th Battalion under Lieutenant-colonel Otway was assigned the task to capture the battery of Merville.
The operation was carefully prepared. Before the parachutists attack there was a preliminary air bombing of the target by the RAF. But the RAF missed the battery and bombs were dropped on Gonneville-sur-Merville, southwards.
The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion crossed the town, cleared of enemy, and moved towards its objective. Gonneville-sur-Merville stayed in German lines until 17 August with the Operation Paddle. The armoured vehicles of the Belgian Brigade Piron progressed with difficulty, because the ground was churned up by explosions, until they reached Gonneville Château.
The 12th Battalion Devonshire Regiment overflew a German strongpoint at the Calvary in Gonneville. In the afternoon, the Ox and Bucks Battalion of the 6th Airlanding Brigade entered Gonneville-sur-Merville. The town was a pile of rubble and had been evacuated by the Germans.