Battle of Bréville

Battle of Bréville
Part of Operation Overlord
British Parachute and Commando troops in Normandy, June 1944
Date 7–13 June 1944 Location Bréville-les-Monts, France Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Richard Nelson Gale	Erich Diestel
Units involved
6th Airborne Division	346th Infantry Division
Strength
Division	Division
Casualties and losses
162 Dead ^	418 Dead ^
^ Numbers for the final attack 12 June

Coordinates: 49°14′25.07″N 0°13′34.19″E / 49.2402972°N 0.2261639°E / 49.2402972; 0.2261639

The Battle of Bréville was fought by the British 6th Airborne Division and the German 346th Infantry Division, between 8 and 13 June 1944, during the early phases of the invasion of Normandy in the Second World War.

In June 1944, units of the 346th Infantry Division occupied Bréville-les-Monts, a village on a watershed between the rivers Orne and Dives. From this vantage point, they could observe the positions of the 6th Airborne Division, defending the River Orne and Caen Canal bridges and beyond them the British Sword Beach at Ouistreham. Following several German attacks on British positions from Bréville-les-Monts, the capture of the village became essential to secure the 6th Airborne Division positions and protect the Allied beachhead.

The British attack occurred over the night of 12/13 June 1944, when Major-General Richard Nelson Gale committed his only reserves, the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, a company from the 12th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment and the 22nd Independent Parachute Company. To support the attack, a tank squadron from the 13th/18th Royal Hussars and five regiments of artillery were assigned to the division. The assault had to negotiate both the British and German artillery fire, which killed or wounded several men, including some senior officers. The attackers eventually reached and secured the village. However, every officer or sergeant major who took part in the attack was killed or wounded.

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