HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Two assault companies and two reserve companies of the 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment landed at intervals from just after H-Hour on Jig Green sector, Gold Beach.

They were tasked to capture Le Hamel and Asnelles-sur-Mer but they faced stiff resistance from the defenders. The narrowness of the beach and presence of mines added to the difficulty of the job.

Casualties were heavy but they captured the villages of Le Hamel and Asnelles-sur-Mer before moving on to capture the German strong point at Arromanches which included a radar station. This was completed by 21:00 on D-Day.