British paratroopers successfully captured Merville Battery on June 6, 1944; they mistakenly believed the battery contained heavy-caliber weapons that could threaten the nearby beach landings. But they instead discovered inoffensive World War I vintage guns. The battery comprised four six-foot-thick (1.8-meter), steel-reinforced concrete gun casemates designed to protect mountain guns, a command bunker, dorms, and ammunition magazines.
Follow in the footsteps of World War II soldiers on an all-day guided tour with an itinerary that covers Normandy battlefields, including the battery.