Sword Beach marked the eastern end of the D-Day landings on June 6th, 1944.
Here, the British 3rd Infantry Division, supported by No. 4 Commando and 177 French commandos under Philippe Kieffer, landed between Ouistreham and Lion-sur-Mer.
Their mission: secure the beachhead, capture Ouistreham’s port, and advance inland to link up with airborne troops who had seized Pegasus Bridge. A vital junction to protect the Allied flank.
Sword beach, Normandy
Sword beach, archive image
At 7:25 a.m., under cover of naval bombardment, the first waves hit the beach. German defenses were less elevated than at Omaha or Juno. Specialized tanks helped open lanes through the minefields and obstacles.
The British pushed through quickly, taking Ouistreham by mid-morning. The Kieffer French Commandos, the only French unit to land on D-Day, liberated the Casino strongpoint.
By the afternoon, the British advanced inland toward Caen, but stiff German counterattacks by the 21st Panzer Division prevented them from taking the city that day.
At Pegasus Bridge, six miles inland, the airborne troops of the 6th Airborne Division had captured and held the crossing since, completing one of the most daring missions of D-Day. By evening, the British ground and airborne units had linked up, fulfilling one of the main objectives of Operation Overlord.
Sword beach today at Ouistreham
Sword was the smallest of the five D-Day beaches, but strategically essential: it protected the Allied flank and secured the road to Caen. It was also the only beach where British and French forces fought side by side.
While the capture of Caen took several weeks, the initial success at Sword prevented German armor from splitting the beachhead and helped stabilize the entire eastern front of the invasion.
Learn more about the Sword sectors (lien livre).
Sword Beach offers a compelling mix of history, memorials, and seaside atmosphere : ideal for visitors wanting to understand both the military and human sides of D-Day.
Main sites and memorials :
To explore the full eastern front, discover our 2 day British and Canadian sectors tour or our 5 D-Day beaches 2 day tour.
Have a look at our content to learn more about the other D-Day beaches.
Capture Ouistreham and the road to Caen, then link up with airborne troops at Pegasus Bridge to secure the Allied flank and prevent German counterattacks from the east.
The British 3rd Infantry Division, reinforced by No. 4 Commando (including the 177 Free French commandos), and armored support from the 27th Armoured Brigade.
They were volunteers led by Lieutenant-Commander Philippe Kieffer : the only Frenchmen to land on D-Day. Their bravery in capturing German positions at Ouistreham is commemorated by the Kieffer Monument.
Sword was the most urban landing zone and the closest to Caen. It also featured a successful airborne link-up, which was unique among the beaches.
Allow 3 to 4 hours for the beach, museum, and Pegasus Bridge. Full-day tours include nearby strongpoints like Hillman and Merville : see our 1 Day British & Canadian Sectors Tour.
