Sword Beach Normandy: Pegasus Bridge and the D-Day Landings

Sword Beach was the easternmost of the five Allied landing zones on D-Day, June 6, 1944, where British and French forces came ashore under heavy German fire to begin the liberation of France. Stretching between Ouistreham and Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, this section of the Normandy coast saw the 3rd British Infantry Division and commandos from the 1st Special Service Brigade fight their way inland, linking up with paratroopers who had already captured key bridges, including the now-famous Pegasus Bridge. Today, you can walk where the first wave landed, explore the memorials and museums that tell the story of the assault, and visit the bridge that played such a vital role in securing the eastern flank of the Allied invasion. This is my Sword Beach Normandy Guide, and it covers what to see related to the D-Day Landings, as well as the famous Pegasus Bridge.

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Located just to the northeast of the city of Caen, Sword Beach, along with the nearby villages of Ouistreham, Lion-sur-Mer, and Hermanville-sur-Mer, was the scene of fierce fighting as British troops pushed to join up with the airborne forces holding Pegasus Bridge. The main objective here was to take the city of Caen, a major transport junction in Normandy. Of all the places we visited in Normandy, this area was my favourite – the villages are charming, the beaches stunning, and the museums superb.  In this guide, I’ll cover the D-Day history of Sword Beach, what to see nearby, and how to plan your visit.

A Brief History of Sword Beach and WWII

Sword Beach was one of the five Allied landing zones for Operation Overlord — the massive invasion of Nazi-occupied France that began on June 6, 1944 – D-day.  Read my guides to visiting the other beaches – Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Gold Beach, and Juno Beach.

Sword Beach – some five miles (eight kilometers) long, stretches from Ouistreham to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer.  The landing zone was assigned to the British 3rd Infantry Division, supported by French and British commandos and naval units. The objective was to secure the beachhead, capture Caen, and then link up with Canadian forces landing on Juno Beach to the west and airborne troops who had seized key bridges to the east.

There was intense German fire from fortified bunkers and artillery positions initially, but by late morning, the British had broken through the coastal defenses. The Commandos of the 1^st Special Services Brigade, led by Lord Lovat and accompanied by the bagpiper Bill Millin, advanced inland to relieve the paratroopers at Pegasus Bridge. Caen wasn’t taken for several weeks, but the landing at Sword Beach and linking up with the airborne troops holding Pegasus Bridge secured the eastern flank for the Allies.

Timeline of Events:

• 05 June 1944 (Night): British 6th Airborne Division drops east of the Orne River to capture Pegasus and Horsa Bridges.
• 06 June 1944, 03:00: Naval bombardment begins against German defenses along the Sword sector.
• 06 June 1944, 07:25: First wave of British 3rd Infantry Division lands near Hermanville-sur-Mer.
• 06 June 1944, 09:00: Commandos of the 1st Special Service Brigade advance inland toward Pegasus Bridge.
• 06 June 1944, 13:00: Lord Lovat’s men link up with airborne troops at the bridge, securing the eastern flank.
• 07–08 June 1944: Allied forces repel German counterattacks, including armored units near Périers-sur-le-Dan.
• 09 June 1944: British forces push toward Caen, but strong resistance delays its capture.
• 19 July 1944: Operation Goodwood begins — the final push to liberate Caen.

What to See at Sword Beach

Sword Beach and its surroundings are filled with museums, memorials, and historic sites that tell the story of the British and French landings, the airborne operations at Pegasus Bridge, and the fierce fighting that followed. You’ll find everything from large interpretive museums to small personal tributes, many within a short drive of each other.

1. Caen Memorial Museum

One of France’s leading World War II museums, the Caen Memorial tells the story of D-Day, the Battle of Normandy, and the struggle for peace that followed. It might be the best of the museums here in Normandy; it’s certainly the biggest, it is enormous and spreads across multiple levels, you will need at least 3 hours to visit, certainly longer if this is the first D-Day museum you’re visiting.

We spent 3.5 hours here, and could have spent longer; there’s a whole section on the Cold War that we missed out completely as we ran out of time.

The main galleries set the scene by tracing the rise of totalitarianism in the 1930s, then lead into the occupation of France, the fight to take France back, and the liberation. You’ll walk chronologically through the war years, with displays mixing maps, artifacts, film footage, and first-hand accounts.

The D-Day section is particularly well done.  There are large-scale models of the beaches, original uniforms, and striking newsreel footage showing the landings as they unfolded. The 20-minute movie, The Battle of Normandy, is superb.  It uses original footage to give you a sense of the scale and chaos of the fighting.  There is a short (50-second) version of it on their website, but if you want to see it in its entirety, then you’ll need to come to the museum.

Don’t miss the preserved German command bunker beneath the museum. It was used as a communications post during the occupation. 

• Address of Caen Memorial Museum: Esplanade Général Eisenhower, 14050 Caen, France
• Cost of Caen Memorial Museum: Adults €20.80, Children €18.50
• Opening hours of Caen Memorial Museum: Daily, 09:00–19:00 (shorter hours in winter)
• How long to spend at Caen Memorial Museum: 3+ hours
• Website: https://www.memorial-caen.fr
• How to get to Caen Memorial Museum: About 9 miles (14 kilometers) southwest of Sword Beach; large free car park.
• Map location of Caen Memorial Museum: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nViJzdjvaAJKxoFX8

2. Memorial Pegasus

Memorial Pegasus tells the stunning story of how the British 6th Airborne Division captured the bridges over the Caen Canal and the Orne River just hours before the D-Day landings began. It continues with their struggle to hold the bridges until they were relieved by Lord Lovat and his Commandos. It was this operation that secured the eastern flank of the invasion.  Having long been a fan of the Longest Day, it was this museum and memorial, out of all the ones we visited in Normandy, that I was looking forward to the most.  And it didn’t disappoint.

You’ll want to start with the timeline animation in the central theater here, and then follow the museum staff out into the grounds of the Memorial (you can come back inside and see the exhibits afterwards).  This guided tour is the highlight of the museum, and you’ll get all your questions answered and learn a huge amount from the amazing staff here.

You’ll learn about the gliders (and how often they crashed and the high casualty rates) that brought the 6^th Airborne to France overnight on the 5^th/6^th June 1944, how they took the bridge, and that the first casualty of the D Day landings was here.  There’s an original Horsa glider here on display that you can get up close to. The original is behind glass to protect it, but you can see the life-sized replica too, and also go inside it.

And of course, you’ll also learn that the bridges that were taken were actually called Benouville Bridge and Ranville Bridge, but were renamed in 1944 in honour of the operation. The name Pegasus comes from the shoulder patch of the British Airborne Corps, which shows Bellerophon riding the winged horse, Pegasus.

You can follow the events of the night of the 5^th June through the museum and read countless fascinating personal stories, illustrated with mementoes and personal items.  The aerial photos of the gliders on the ground, showing how close they go to the bridge, are spectacular.  Outside, you’ll find the original Pegasus Bridge, complete with bullet holes (although hardly any were fired in its taking).  The bridge has been here since the 1990s, when it was removed from daily use and replaced with the new Pegasus Bridge.  There are tanks, armored vehicles, and even a Bailey Bridge in the grounds, too.

• Address of Memorial Pegasus: Avenue Major Howard, 14860 Ranville, France
• Cost of Memorial Pegasus: €9.50
• Opening hours of Memorial Pegasus: 1st February – 31st March from 10:00 to 17:00, 1st April – 30th September from 09:30 to 18:30, 1st October – 15th December from 10:00 to 17:00. The Memorial is closed from 16th December to 31st January.
• How long to spend at Memorial Pegasus: 2.5- 3 hours
• Website: https://www.memorial-pegasus.org
• How to get to Memorial Pegasus: 3 miles (5 kilometers) inland from Ouistreham; free parking on-site.
• Map location of Memorial Pegasus: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GwEcAan4CcBf7t7m9

3. Glider Markers at Pegasus Bridge

Just across the road from the Memorial Pegasus, the Glider Markers show where the first Horsa gliders touched down in the early hours of June 6, 1944. Three of these silent aircraft landed within yards of the bridge — a feat of precision flying that remains one of the most extraordinary moments of the D-Day operation.   You can read about this, but it doesn’t actually hit you as to how close they were until you get there and see it for yourself.

The markers are simple stone plinths placed at the landing points, each engraved with the names of the pilots and the men they carried.  You can also see the memorial to Lance Corporal Fred Greenhalgh, who drowned when his glider landed in a pond.

• Address of Glider Markers: Near Pegasus Bridge, Avenue Major Howard, Bénouville, France
• Cost of Glider Markers: Free
• Opening hours of Glider Markers: Open year-round
• How long to spend at Glider Markers: 20–30 minutes
• How to get to Glider Markers: Adjacent to the bridge and museum; easy to walk between them, leave your car in the parking lot of the Pegasus Memorial.
• Map location of Glider Markers: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9A5ERGvho2AVbuYy5

4. Pegasus Bridge Café (Café Gondrée)

Next to the bridge itself is Café Gondrée, sometimes described as the first house liberated in France.  It may be true, but what is more fascinating is the story behind the family in the house.  The Gondrées had secretly been working with the French Resistance to provide information on the defenses around the bridge, and their information had been provided to Major John Howard and his airborne troops before they arrived in France.  The café became a makeshift aid post during the fighting and has remained in the family ever since.  The walls are covered in photos of the original airborne troops, framed letters, and old currency notes left behind by veterans.

• Address of Pegasus Bridge Café: 1 Avenue Major Howard, 14860 Bénouville, France
• Opening hours of Pegasus Bridge Café: Open most days; closed Tuesdays in winter
• How long to spend at Pegasus Bridge Café: 30–45 minutes
• How to get to Pegasus Bridge Café: Next to Pegasus Bridge; limited parking outside.
• Map location of Pegasus Bridge Café: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7yUaXHyLmFP3AQW36

5. The New Pegasus Bridge

The New Pegasus Bridge spans the Caen Canal on the site of the original bridge. It replaced the original steel bridge in 1994, which was moved to the grounds of the Memorial Pegasus museum for preservation.

Both the original Pegasus bridge and the new ones are “Scherzer rolling lift bascule bridges”.  Designed by William Scherzer, it opens by rolling the counterbalanced span on a curved track, which retracts the bridge from the water, allowing marine traffic to pass on the water.  Bascule is French for Seesaw.

6. Piper Bill Millin Memorial

It’s on the promenade in Ouistreham that you’ll find the Piper Bill Millin Memorial.  It’s a tribute to Bill Millin, the personal piper of Lord Lovat. During the D-Day landings on Sword Beach, Millin famously walked up and down the sand playing his bagpipes under fire, unarmed, as his fellow commandos advanced.  He also piped the commandos across Pegasus Bridge to relieve Major John Howard and the Airborne.  The memorial shows Millin in full uniform, marching and piping.

Lovat had instructed Millin to pipe the commandos and Lovat ashore on Sword Beach, which was, of course, in contravention of War Office Regulations.  When Millin reminded Lovat of this, Lovat famously declared, “Ah, but that’s the English War Office. You and I are both Scottish, and that doesn’t apply”. Millin had been born in Canada, but moved to Glasgow with his family at the age of three.   He was the only man to wear a kilt during the invasion, wearing the same Cameron Tartan kilt that his father had worn in Flanders during World War I.   You can see a set of Millin’s pipes at the Memorial Pegasus.

• Address of the Piper Bill Millin Memorial: Boulevard Maritime, Ouistreham, France
• How to get to the Piper Bill Millin Memorial: Along the promenade at Ouistreham; parking nearby.
• Map location of the Piper Bill Millin Memorial: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yAmkdHqmZBP3bNR6A

7. The Free French Soldiers Memorial

It wasn’t just the Brits who landed here at Sword Beach, but 177 Free French commandos too.  They were under the command of Lieutenant Commander Philippe Kieffer and were the only French troops to take part in the beach landings on June 6, 1944.  These were the First Free French Naval Commando Battalion, and they were integrated into the British No. 4 Commando.  Kieffer was awarded the Military Cross for his actions in Normandy.  His recommendation reads:

“Commandant Kieffer was responsible for the mopping up of the town of Ouistreham in conjunction with 4 Commando’s assault on the battery. His unit suffered severely, 9 out of his 11 Officers becoming casualties, while Commandant Kieffer himself was wounded. The dash and resolute action of this Officer led to the final liquidation of a series of enemy strong points in the coastal built up area, and of an enemy company in the town itself.”

The large metal flame is located on top of a German Bunker, the pathway to it is inscribed with the names of those who were killed on 6 June 1944, and it is flanked by statues of Kieffer and also Lord Lovat.

• Address of La Flamme/Free French Monument: 23 Bd Aristide Briand, 14150 Ouistreham, France
• How to get to La Flamme/Free French Monument: On the beachfront, easily accessible from the main car park.
• Map location of La Flamme/Free French Monument: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JBegZB7j7AkLV17y7

8. Museum Commando N°4

Just behind the promenade at Ouistreham, and a four-minute walk from the Free French Memorial, is the Museum Commando N°4.   You’ll likely miss it if you’re not looking for it.  The museum is small, but it tells the important story of the combined force of the Free French and British Commandos who stormed Sword Beach together on D-Day.

There’s a 20-minute introductory film explaining the creation and the D-Day role of the commandos.  Their mission was to liberate Ouistreham and then link up with the British paratroopers at Pegasus Bridge in Bénouville. Commando No. 4 included the 177 Frenchmen of D-Day, commanded by Philippe Kieffer.

The museum was created by veterans and volunteers and includes a host of personal photographs and items, as well as the testimonies of those who liberated Ouistreham.  There are authentic uniforms and weapons used here on June 6^th, 1944, and the museum tells the story of the commandos who wore the green beret.

There’s a second video, in which veteran Léon Gautier talks through the first hours of the landing using a model of the beach as it was in June 1944 as a visual aid.

• Address of Museum of Commando N°4: Pl. Alfred Thomas, 14150 Ouistreham, France
• Cost of Museum of Commando N°4: €5.00
• Opening hours of the Museum of Commando N°4: Daily, from early February to early November.  10:00 – 13:00, 14:00 – 18:30
  How long to spend at the Museum of Commando N°4: 60-90 minutes
• Website: https://www.musee-4commando.fr/
• How to get to Museum of Commando N°4: Next to the beach promenade in Ouistreham
• Map location of Museum of Commando N°4: https://maps.app.goo.gl/s4TSgZfxeucdGvam7

9. Le Grand Bunker – Musée du Mur de l’Atlantique

One block back from the seafront in Ouistreham is an original five-story German command and observation bunker.  Le Grand Bunker, Musée du Mur de l’Atlantique, is a fascinating remnant of the German defenses along Sword Beach. This building once coordinated artillery fire across the eastern flank of the Normandy coast.

Inside, each level has been restored to how it would have looked in 1944. The lower floors house communications rooms, ammunition storage, and a re-created engine room with original equipment. Moving upward, you’ll find radio rooms, an infirmary, and living quarters.  The exhibits are dense but fascinating, covering the construction of the Atlantic Wall, the weapons used, and the logistics of defending the coast. There are also models of the German gun batteries and artillery bunkers that lined the beaches, along with period uniforms and weapons. The museum includes a film showing the history of Ouistreham’s defenses and how the site was restored after the war.

You can even look through the rangefinder, and, from the fifth floor, see the same views that the Germans would have had prior to the Bunker being captured by British Lieutenant Bob Orrell.

At the very top, you can climb a narrow vertical ladder up a chute to get onto the roof for superb panoramic views over the town and along Sword Beach.

Outside, there’s a Higgins boat that was used on D Day, and then restored and used in the movie Saving Private Ryan.

• Address of Le Grand Bunker: Avenue du 6 Juin, 14150 Ouistreham, France
• Cost of Le Grand Bunker: Around €9
• Opening hours of Le Grand Bunker: Daily, 10:00–18:00
• How long to spend at Le Grand Bunker: 90 minutes
• Website: https://www.museedumurdelatlantique.com
• How to get to Le Grand Bunker: In central Ouistreham, one block back from the seafront.  Paid for parking (app or card) on the streets, or at the seafront,
• Map location of Le Grand Bunker: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xbXRR1yTNmzocfWx6

10. Hermanville War Cemetery

This cemetery is best visited on your way from Caen to the beaches, as it’s 13 kilometers (8 miles) north of the city on the road to Lion-sur-Mer.  It’s the final resting place for more than 1,000 British soldiers who died during the Sword Beach landings.  It was originally named Sword Cemetery, but was renamed to reflect the location.  It’s managed by the Commonwealth Graves Commission.

There are 1,003 Second World War burials, 103 of them unidentified.  Most are British, but there are also 3 Australians and 13 Canadians.   Several who died were from the Navy, and one from the Merchant Navy.

• Address of Hermanville War Cemetery: Rue du Cimetière Militaire, Hermanville-sur-Mer, France
• How long to spend at Hermanville War Cemetery: 30–45 minutes
  How to get to Hermanville War Cemetery: 13 kilometers north of Caen on the road to Lion-sur-Mer (the D60). To reach the War Cemetery, go northwards right through Hermanville; after leaving the church on your left, turn right. The gates to the War Cemetery will be found after 300 metres on the road “Rue du Cimetière Anglais”.
• Map location of Hermanville War Cemetery: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fGKHwJY2BCSS3eor8

11. D-Day 70th Anniversary Memorial

On the seafront in Ouistreham, the D-Day 70th Anniversary Memorial is a tribute to all Allied forces who took part in the Normandy landings. Unveiled in 2014, exactly seventy years after D-Day, it had a minimalist design.

The memorial combines statistics from both the 1944 landings but also the 2014 memorial ceremony.  There are images of scenes from both dates, 70 years apart, and also quotes from Winston Churchill, both during the war and after it.

Map location of D-Day 70th Anniversary Memorial: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AAq4Jei9GADXdrio6a

Recommended Itinerary and Route for Visiting Sword Beach

Sword Beach and its surrounding sites can easily fill a full day, especially if you take time to explore both the museums and the landmarks around Pegasus Bridge. This itinerary focuses on the key highlights that define the story of the British and French landings — beginning in Caen and finishing on the sands of Ouistreham.

Start your morning at the Caen Memorial Museum, which gives you the essential background before you head to the coast. Plan to arrive as soon as it opens. The museum’s exhibits, films, and the German command bunker below ground offer the best overview of the D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy. Allow at least three hours — it’s worth taking your time here before you move on.

Make a brief stop at Hermanville Cemetery and then drive on to Pegasus Bridge in Bénouville, the symbolic link between the airborne and beach landings. Begin at the Memorial Pegasus to see the original bridge, one of the Horsa gliders, and the outdoor displays. Don’t miss the guided tour with the museum staff.  From there, take a short walk to the Glider Markers, which show exactly where the first troops touched down on French soil. Stop next at the Café Gondrée, the first house liberated on D-Day, for a coffee surrounded by wartime photos, then walk across the New Pegasus Bridge itself to stand where the first connection was made between paratroopers and commandos. This cluster of sites tells the story in sequence — and you can easily spend two to three hours here without needing to drive between them.

Continue north to Ouistreham, about three miles (five kilometers) away, where the Grand Bunker – Musée du Mur de l’Atlantique offers a look at the German side of the battle. Climb through the command post’s five floors to the observation deck for a commanding view over Sword Beach and the town. From here, follow the promenade east toward the shoreline to complete your day.

Finish your visit at the D-Day 70th Anniversary Memorial, then walk along the beach to the Bill Millin Bagpiper Memorial, and the Kieffer Monument, which honors the Free French commandos who landed here.

Suggested One-Day Itinerary

• 09:00 – Arrive at Caen Memorial Museum and explore the exhibitions and bunker.
• 12:00 – Drive to Hermanville Cemetery
• 12:30 – Drive to Pegasus Bridge
• 13:00  – Picnic Lunch
• 13:30 – Visit Memorial Pegasus and the Glider Markers.
• 15:30 – Coffee at Café Gondrée; walk across the New Pegasus Bridge.
• 16:30 – Drive to Ouistreham and visit Le Grand Bunker – Musée du Mur de l’Atlantique
• 18:00 – Walk the promenade to the D-Day 70th Anniversary Memorial, the Kieffer Monument, and the Bill Millin statue.

Where to Eat and Drink near Sword Beach

You’ll find plenty of relaxed, welcoming spots around Sword Beach and Pegasus Bridge where you can pause between visits. Many of them have deep ties to D-Day or sit right along the coast — perfect for a reflective break after a day exploring the memorials and museums. Here are three good choices that blend history, atmosphere, and hearty Normandy food.

Pegasus Bridge Café (Café Gondrée)

Address: 1 Avenue Major Howard, 14860 Bénouville, France
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AAq4Jei9GADXdrio6

This family-run café is legendary — the first house liberated in France, still owned by the Gondrée family. Step inside and you’re surrounded by history: wartime photos, framed notes from veterans, and flags left by visiting regiments. The café serves simple, comforting fare — croque-monsieur, omelets, cider, and coffee.  Sit outside and watch the world go by, and you’ll be sitting in the same place that Major John Howard did.

Le Goéland

Address:  2 Bd Carnot, 14780 Lion-sur-Mer, France
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TiQX2vbuN5YrNXqh6

You should come here for the mussels alone, although the galettes are pretty spectacular too.  Seafood is definitely the star of the show here, but be sure to check out the specials too.

La Taverne

Address: 15 Pl. Georges Clemenceau, 14780 Lion-sur-Mer, France
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fxWPtrJocQEHkZgg6

A block or so inland from the promenade, La Taverne is cozy, wood-paneled, and unpretentious — a great choice for a relaxed dinner after a day visiting the beaches.  Pick a booth for squished in comfort.  And opt for the set menus, they’re a perfect way to explore the food of Normandy.  The oysters are fabulous here, and my sister-in-law had her first escargot here, too!

Where to Stay to Visit Sword Beach

Staying near Sword Beach means you can explore the museums and memorials at an easy pace — without rushing between Caen and the coast. The best places to stay are in Ouistreham or Lion-sur-Mer, where you’ll find quiet seaside hotels, easy parking, and plenty of restaurants within walking distance. These three options cover different budgets and travel styles, all within a short drive of the main Sword Beach D-Day sites.

Hôtel de la Plage – Lion-sur-Mer

Book Hôtel de la Plage on Booking.com
Just steps from the sand at Lion-sur-Mer, this small, family-run hotel is ideal if you want sea air and a friendly welcome. Rooms are simple but comfortable, some with partial sea views, and there’s free parking on-site. It’s only a ten-minute drive from Ouistreham and makes a good base for exploring Sword Beach and the nearby memorials. Free cancellation available.

Best Western La Mare Ô Poissons – Ouistreham

Book Best Western La Mare Ô Poissons on Booking.com
Located just outside the ferry port, this modern hotel is clean, quiet, and practical — perfect if you’re arriving late or heading out early. It has a well-regarded restaurant specializing in local seafood, free parking, and comfortable rooms with air-conditioning. It’s a five-minute drive to Le Grand Bunker and the D-Day 70th Anniversary Memorial. Free cancellation available.

Hôtel Riva Bella by Thalazur – Ouistreham

Book Hôtel Riva Bella by Thalazur on Booking.com
If you prefer something more luxurious, Riva Bella sits right on the beach, with direct access to the promenade and panoramic sea views. It’s a four-star spa hotel with an indoor pool, sauna, and restaurant serving fresh regional cuisine. The location couldn’t be better for morning walks along Sword Beach or visiting the nearby monuments. Opt for a sea view room.

Books to Read about Sword Beach and WWII

If you’d like to understand the stories behind Sword Beach and Pegasus Bridge before visiting, these books are a great place to start. They range from first-hand accounts to detailed military histories, and all give valuable context to what you’ll see along the Normandy coast.

Pegasus Bridge – Stephen E. Ambrose
A gripping account of one of the most daring missions of D-Day — the British airborne assault to capture the bridges over the Orne River and Caen Canal. Ambrose’s storytelling makes you feel the tension, courage, and confusion of the glider landings that began the liberation of Europe. A must-read before walking across Pegasus Bridge yourself. Available on Amazon.

Commando: The Inside Story of Britain’s Royal Marines – Monty Halls
This book provides a vivid look at the commandos’ origins, training, and missions, including their role in the Sword Beach landings. It’s part history, part field journal, and gives you a deeper sense of what it meant to be one of the elite troops who stormed the beaches. Available on Amazon.

D-Day: June 6, 1944 – Stephen E. Ambrose
Ambrose’s comprehensive history of the D-Day invasion covers all five landing beaches, including the British and French assault on Sword. Drawing from hundreds of interviews, it captures the scale of the operation and the personal stories behind it. Get it on Amazon.

The Pegasus Diaries: The Private Papers of Major John Howard DSO
A collection of personal writings by the man who led the assault on Pegasus Bridge. His reflections offer a rare, firsthand insight into leadership under pressure and the camaraderie among the men who carried out one of the most successful operations in military history. Buy it here.

Movies and Documentaries about Sword Beach and WWII

Watching films and documentaries about Sword Beach and Pegasus Bridge helps bring the history to life before you stand on the ground where it all happened. Here are a few well-chosen titles that capture the scale, emotion, and bravery of those who fought here.

The Longest Day (1962) – Directed by Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, and Bernhard Wicki
This epic film remains one of the most accurate dramatizations of D-Day. It covers all five landing beaches, including the airborne operations at Pegasus Bridge. The sequence showing British gliders landing in the dark near the Caen Canal still holds up brilliantly today. Available on Amazon Prime.

Pegasus Bridge (Documentary, 2019) – Directed by Chris Oxley
A detailed modern retelling of the 6th Airborne Division’s mission to seize the bridges before dawn on June 6, 1944. Combining reenactments, archive footage, and interviews with veterans, it’s one of the clearest explanations of how the operation unfolded and why it mattered so much.

D-Day: The Sixth of June (1956) – Directed by Henry Koster
A Hollywood take on the Normandy invasion that mixes romance and wartime drama with impressive battlefield scenes. While dated, it includes several sequences inspired by the British landings at Sword Beach and the airborne operations inland. Available on Amazon Prime.

Storming Juno (2010) – Produced by History Television
This Canadian docudrama focuses mainly on Juno Beach but gives valuable context to the neighboring Sword sector, showing how the Canadian and British troops linked up as the day progressed. It’s a good companion to watching The Longest Day. Available on Amazon Prime.

WWII Sites around the World

We can’t claim to have visited every single WWII site around the world, but we’ve explored quite a few of them, admittedly we haven’t written about them all, but here are our guides to those that we have documented.

• Dunkirk & Operation Dynamo (France): What to see, how to visit.
• Utah Beach and the Normandy Landings (France): Where to stay, what not to miss.
• Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery (France): What to see
• Gold Beach – the British Sector – here’s what to see and how to visit.
• Juno Beach: The Canadians and D Day.
• Sword Beach Guide + Pegasus Bridge
• Kanchanaburi and the Death Railway in Thailand: What to see
• Hellfire Pass the the Building of the Death Railway (Thailand): Here’s what to see
• Thanbyuzayat Thai Burma Death Railway (Myanmar): How to get there and what to see
• The Sandakan Memorial, Borneo: (Malaysia): What happened here, why to visit.
• Sandakan to Ranau: the Death Marches (Malaysia): What happened here
• Penang: Malaysia & WWII: Exploring the War Museum.
• Labuan Island: Exploring WWII (Malaysia): Here’s what to see
• Kota Bharu: Did WWII in Asia start here?
• Nagasaki: (Japan): The peace park, the hypocenter and what to see here.
• Hiroshima: The bomb dome and peace park (Japan): What to see

Final Words on Exploring the D Day Sites of Sword Beach

Of all the D-Day landing beaches, Sword Beach was the one that I was most excited to visit.  In part, I guess the British Connection, having grown up watching The Longest Day, avidly reading the heroic histories of Major John Howard and his men.  This is a spectacular piece of history to visit, and being able to see so many museums, memorials, and attractions (if that’s the right word) in a small area makes it hard to miss.  Walking across the original Pegasus Bridge, standing inside the Grand Bunker, and then dining on mussels in a traditional Normandy café.  Well, it was the perfect end to a visit to the Normandy D-Day beaches.

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