Memorial to Colonel James E Rudder Cricqueville church
Cricqueville is just behind Pointe du Hoc where Texan Rudder landed with his 2nd Ranger Battalion. The figure in the picture is former mayor, Louis Devin, who raised the Memorial. Aerial reconnaissance had shown formidable concrete structures on the Pointe leading to the conclusion that it contained 155 mm guns which could fire along the American beaches. A Special Forces attack was planned to take out the position on D-Day and the Rangers, climbing the steep cliffs from the small beach using their daggers as hand-holds, overcame the Germans only to find that the guns had been removed
Picture No
12547906
Media ID
45763659
Size
2816px x 2120px
(1.1MB)
Credit
© Holt's Battlefield Collection / Mary Evans
Source
Photograph by Tonie and Valmai Holt - Holts' Battlefield Collection
Date
2009
