Which was the first town to be liberated by the allies on D-Day?

[abbe89]

Which was the first town to be liberated by the allies on D-Day?

[Zen]

Ste-Mere-Eglise, France

[spiff]

Might be wrong (usually am) but i think the first major town could have been Caen.

[Zen]

Ste Mere Eglise

American paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division erroneously parachuted into the town square in the early hours of D-day. M. Hairon's burning barn, illuminated the scene making it easy for the Germans in the square to shoot the descending troopers. Private John Steele's parachute caught on the steeple. He survived by feigning death until the town was occupied in the daylight hours. His parachute effigy still hangs on the steeple. The airborne museum stands on the site of Hairon's barn. The town has been a gathering point for returning veterans of all divisions.

[archbishop]

As Spiff says Caen as a major city was first. Ste-Mere-Eglise was and is still no more than a large village.

[Pinotage]

 Ste-Mere-Eglise was the first place liberated. As Zen says, the it wasn't liberated, i.e. the Germans no longer controlled it, until much later in the day. But Zen's on the right track; the first town liberated was by airborne troops in advance of the main beach landings.

The incredible glider borne assault on the bridges across the Orne just after midnight resulted in the liberation of the adjoining town of Ranville.

Ranville has the "First liberated town of France" plaque which reads (in part)    first town of France to be liberated on 6 June 1944 at 2:30 a. m. by the 13th Lancashire battalion, the Parachute regiment.

 

[Pinotage]

Shame there's no edit facility - my first sentence should read Ste-Mere-Eglise wasn't the first place liberated.

[Pinotage]

this is link to picture of the plaque http://tinyurl.com/4bo5z

[Woodsy21]

Ste marie eglise , the firrt people and building were Mr and Mrs Gondres with their daughter. They were liberated by the British Para's early morning 6th June on Pegesus Bridge. the Commander was Major John Howard.