The British 6th. Airborne was given the task of securing the most easterly areas of the British landing beaches. The estuary of the River Orne and  the Canal de Caen. This included the capture and destruction of the German coastal battery at Merville, and the seizure, intact, of the two bridges at Benouville, one bridge spanned the river Orne and the other the Caen canal, it was vital these two bridges were captured intact to ensure the road inland was open for the advancing Allied Forces.

The Divisional Commander; Major General Richard Gale decided to send in a special force of six gliders, each carrying 30 men, three gliders would land and take the river bridge. The other three would land and take the canal bridge.
For this mission  men from 'D' Company, 2nd. Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghampshire  Light Infantry were selected, along with, Royal Engineers of 'B' company and pilots of the Glider Pilots Regiment.

Major John Howard and his men on re-gaining conciousness a few seconds after landing, evacuated the glider as quickly as possible, and attacked the bridge, the German defenders approximately 50 soldiers were virtually taken by surprise! Lieutenant Brotheridge who led the attack across the bridge was shot in the neck and became the first Allied soldier killed on D Day.
The men from the other two gliders joined the battle and within 5 minutes the bridge was secured.
Five men were wounded in the battle for the canal bridge.

Of the gliders which were designated for the Orne river bridge, two landed within 300 and 700 meters from the target and one missed completely. When the bridge was attacked it was found to be undefended, the German troops had fled.

The two bridges had to be secured and held until the rest of the 6th. Airborne, which had parachuted in could relieve the captors, this was no easy task as the Germans tried on two occasions to take them back. On one occasion a German tank was deployed, this was soon put out of action by Sgt. Thornton using a PIAT anti-tank gun, from very close range!!
The paratroops finally arrived at 3.00a.m. to the relief of major Howard.                                                           A brilliant feat had been accomplished, the two bridges had been secured, the road-link was open, ready for the invading allied troops.

The canal bridge shortly after D-Day, British troops on guard.
The Horsa Gliders of the Airborne can be seen in their landing positions. When you consider that the gliders were released from their tug aircraft at 5,000 ft. in darkness, using only maps and stop watches, it is understandable that it was described as the "Finest piece of airmanship of the war"