The landings · About the collection
The 1944 landings at Omaha Beach
An introduction to the documents, photographs and witness accounts assembled by Yves Cordelle on Omaha Beach, with particular attention to Vierville.
Read the document →The documentary collection
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233 documents.
Witness accounts · Residents and families
Vierville during the German occupation
Michel Hardelay’s recollections introduce life in occupied Vierville alongside photographs of the village and beachfront taken before the landings.
Read the document →Witness accounts · Residents and families
Letters and accounts from Vierville, 1939–1941
Letters and recollections describe Vierville at the beginning of the war, including mobilisation, evacuated children and relations under occupation.
Read the document →Witness accounts · Residents and families
Hans, do you remember?
Jean-Paul Hausermann recalls Hans, a young German soldier in Vierville, life under occupation, the events of June 1944 and their reunion after the war.
Read the document →The landings · German defences
Organisation of the German defences
Maps, photographs and commentary outline German units, command posts and artillery positions around Vierville and the wider Omaha Beach area.
Read the document →Maps & archives · Organisation of the forces
German order of battle
A detailed order of battle lists German infantry and artillery formations, commanders, headquarters and positions associated with the Omaha Beach area.
Read the document →Witness accounts · German servicemen
Lieutenant Heinze’s account
Hans Heinze describes D-Day from the perspective of a young German officer serving with the 916th Infantry Regiment near Formigny and Omaha Beach.
Read the document →The landings · German defences
The German defences at Omaha Beach
This dossier explains the beach obstacles, mines and cliff-top positions that formed the German defensive system in the Omaha Beach area in 1944.
Read the document →The landings · German defences
The beach obstacles at Vierville
Plans and photographs document the successive rows of gates, timber obstacles and steel hedgehogs placed on the tidal beach in front of Vierville.
Read the document →Places · Vierville-sur-Mer
Strongpoint WN70 at Hamel-au-Prêtre
A study of WN70 above the Hardelay villa brings together aerial views, photographs and tentative plans of a strongpoint still under construction.
Read the document →Places · Vierville-sur-Mer
Strongpoint WN71 east of the Vierville exit
Photographs and plans examine WN71 on the eastern side of the Vierville beach exit, beside the anti-tank wall separating it from WN72.
Read the document →Places · Vierville-sur-Mer
WN72 at the Vierville beach exit
The WN72 dossier examines the bunkers and gun positions guarding the Vierville beach exit, illustrated by plans, aerial views and ground photographs.
Read the document →Places · Vierville-sur-Mer
Strongpoint WN73 west of the Vierville exit
Maps, sketches and photographs locate WN73 around the ruined Gambier house, west of the Vierville beach exit and overlooking the landing area.
Read the document →Places · Vierville-sur-Mer
WN74 at Pointe de la Percée
This dossier follows WN74 at Pointe de la Percée through coastal photographs, surviving gun images and plans prepared around the 1944 landings.
Read the document →Places · Vierville-sur-Mer
The German radar station at Englesqueville-la-Percée
Photographs and local accounts trace the German radar installation at Englesqueville-la-Percée and the earlier semaphore station on the same stretch of coast.
Read the document →The landings · Preparations
Preparations for the landings
The landing plans set out the intended combination of air attacks, naval gunfire, armour, engineers and infantry for the assault on Vierville.
Read the document →Maps & archives · Maps and aerial views
Maps prepared for Omaha Beach
American maps of Omaha Beach are presented with their scales, issue dates, beach sectors and supporting information such as profiles and tide curves.
Read the document →Maps & archives · Maps and aerial views
Coastal panoramas and profiles prepared in 1944
Coastal profiles and descriptive texts show how the Omaha Beach shoreline, exits, bluffs and buildings were represented for the forces approaching from sea.
Read the document →Maps & archives · Maps and aerial views
Aerial photographs from 1943–1944
A sequence of aerial photographs records Omaha Beach, Vierville and neighbouring places before the landings, with dates and location notes in the captions.
Read the document →Maps & archives · Maps and aerial views
Oblique aerial views of the coast, 1943–1944
Oblique aerial photographs show the coastline from Colleville to La Percée and beyond, with numbered views and assembled panoramas to aid orientation.
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