Port-en-Bessin-Huppain is a commune in the department of Calvados in the Basse-Normandie region in northern France.

History

Port-en-Bessin Huppain is a small but vibrant fishing port on the Normandy coast whose tranquility betrays its absolutely vital role in the Liberation of Europe June 1944 to May 1945. The curious visitor will find a number of memorials dotted around the town, the pictured memorial to PLUTO (Pipe Line Under The Ocean) gives a major clue as to the port's vital role. Look to the western headland above the old lighthouse in the cliff side corner of the golf course and you will find the impressive memorial to the Royal Marine Commandos of 47 RM Cdo who liberated this town from German hands on June 7th 1944 at great cost to the Unit and after an arduous and costly landing at La Rochelle, some 12 miles east beyond Arromanche-sur-Bain. Head inland from the port itself and you find a roundabout dedicated to Capt. Terry Cousins who died leading the battle swinging assault up the zig-zag path that features on the Eastern headland. Remains aplenty of the German fortifications still exist and trenches where men fought and died are still easily traced. Within a couple of days of liberating the port, PLUTO was landed and the vital petrol needed to pursue the war was pumped ashore. Without securing this port one can only speculate at how difficult it would have been to carry the fight forward. Though the 6th Airborne assault at Pegasus Bridge to the East is rightly famous, none other than General Horricks stated that of all the actions carried out in the British and Canadian zones of the invasion of Normandy,if two Units had to be named they were 6th Airborne for securing and holding Pegasus Bridge and 47 Royal Marine Commando for taking Port-en-Bessin.

The commune contains the two villages of Port-en-Bessin and Huppain.

Tablet of D-Day

See also

• Communes of the Calvados department

References

Based on the article in the French Wikipedia.

Artistic representation

Paintings by Georges Seurat, 1888: <gallery> Image:Georges Seurat 011.jpg|Bridge and port of Port-en-Bessin-Huppain Image:Georges Seurat 032.jpg|Port entrance of Port-en-Bessin-Huppain Image:Georges Seurat 046.jpg|Les Grues et la percée à Port-en-Bessin Image:Georges Seurat 049.jpg|Marine Image:Georges Seurat 054.jpg|Port-en-Bessin Image:Georges Seurat 055.jpg|Low tide in Port-en-Bessin. Image:Georges Seurat 057.jpg|Sunday in Port-en-Bessin. </gallery>

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