Battle of Port-en-Bessin
British petrol and oil storage depots were also to be established near the port and for American forces at St. Honorine 2 miles (3.2 km) west, under the code-name Tombola, to be filled from tankers offshore, using buoyed pipelines.The Marines had been ordered to avoid troops of the 726th Regiment of the 716th Static Infantry Division at Longues-sur-Mer on the road from Arromanches to Port-en-Bessin, by moving inland, before heading for the port 12 miles (19 km) west and linking with the First US Army as it advanced from Omaha beach.In the afternoon, after a bombardment by HMS Emerald and three squadrons of Typhoons firing RP-3 rockets, the cliff-top strong points were attacked and the base of the western feature captured.When the Marines were well up the slope, two FLAK ships in the harbour opened fire, killing twelve and wounding 17 men, more than half the troop in a few minutes, forcing it to withdraw.The strength of the commando in the port was reduced to 280 men, many of whom were wounded but an ammunition shortage was alleviated by several members of 522 Company Royal Army Service Corps, who drove supplies through German machine-gun and tank fire."[9] Julian Thompson wrote: "In my opinion the operation by 47 RM Commando at Port-en-Bessin was one of the great feats of arms of any unit, Royal Marines, Army, Navy or Air Force of any nation in the Second World War."The major American PLUTO terminal would be located at Cherbourg, however the town would not be finally captured until 30 June, so Port-en-Bessin would play an important role in supplying the allied army fighting in Normandy.
Official map showing the V US Corps objectives for D-Day, Port-en-Bessin is on the eastern flank of Omaha Beach
British Commandos move inland during Operation Overlord
Map of Port-en-Bessin area (commune FR insee code 14515)
PLUTO Pipeline
through Port-en-Bessin
Normandy landingsPort-en-BessinNormandyFranceUnited KingdomGermanyDietrich Kraiß47 Commando352nd DivisionFlakshipsOperation OverlordAtlantic WallBodyguardFortitudeZeppelinTitanicTaxable, Glimmer & Big DrumCombined Bomber OffensivePointblankTransport PlanPostage AbleTarbrushFabiusCaen canal and Orne river bridgesMerville BatteryMallardAmerican SectorAlbanyBostonChicagoDetroitElmiraPointe du HocGambitAmericanOperation ChastityBritishMulberryBrécourt ManorGraignesLa Haye-du-PuitsSaint-LôCarentanHill 30CherbourgBrévilleVillers-BocageLe Mesnil-PatryNormandy massacresArdenne AbbeyDouvresMartletWindsorCharnwoodJupiter2nd OdonAtlanticGoodwoodVerrières RidgeSpringBluecoatTotalizeHill 140LüttichTractableHill 262ChamboisFalaiseSaint-MaloMantes-GassicourtLa RochelleUshantLa CainePierres NoiresAudierne BayJedburghDingsonSamwestCooneyBulbasketHoundsworthLoytonKiplingDragoonWallace & HardyCemeteriesArromanchesWorld War IIOmaha BeachU.S. V CorpsGold BeachBritish XXX CorpsNo. 47 (Royal Marine) Commando4th Special Service BrigadeB. L. MontgomeryInvasion of NormandyLanding Craft AssaultLe HamelBelgian Gates231st Infantry Brigade716th Static Infantry DivisionLongues-sur-MerBayeuxHMS EmeraldTyphoonsRoyal Army Service CorpsPLUTO Pipelineother ranksDouvres-la-DélivrandeOrne RiverBritish 6th Airborne DivisionLieutenant-GeneralSir Brian G. HorrocksXXX CorpsSir Robert Bruce LockhartJulian ThompsonPLUTO terminalBritish Commando operations during the Second World WarRoyal Marine CommandoButler, J. R. M.OutlineBattlesOperationsAlliedCommandersCasualties